Piper PA-24-250 accident near Prescott, Arizona, December 2, 2001
On December 2, 2001 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7213P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prescott, Arizona (Ernest A. Love Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel starvation on final approach due to the pilot's fuel mismanagement, and his inattentiveness in following established prelanding procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 2001 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · Ernest A. Love Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7213P · no longer on the register · serial 24-2383
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After flying for 2 hours the airplane arrived at the destination airport. Upon entering the traffic pattern the left seated pilot performed a prelanding check. However, he did not reposition the fuel tank selector from the nearly empty right auxiliary fuel tank to a main tank. Seconds after turning onto the final approach leg, the pilot performed another prelanding check. Again, he did not reposition the fuel tank selector away from the right auxiliary tank. Seconds thereafter, the engine sputtered and lost all power. The pilot then tried to reposition the fuel tank selector, but the pilot-rated passenger had already accomplished that task. Engine power was restored just prior to the airplane impacting a berm, about 500 feet short of the runway. The left seated pilot held commercial and certified flight instructor certificates. He had about 612 total flight hours including 32 hours in Comanches. The right seated pilot-rated passenger also held commercial and certified flight instructor certificates. He had about 1,740 total flight hours, including 40 hours in Comanches. The subsequent airplane examination revealed that the left auxiliary fuel tank and the two main tanks jointly contained a total of 50 gallons of fuel. The right auxiliary fuel tank was dry.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 612 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 457 as pilot in command; 7 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 16, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,740 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 149 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 1,524 as pilot in command; 1,220 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Los Angeles CA
- Destination: PRC Prescott
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21R, 4,846 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from PRC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.