Piper PA 28-181 accident near Wittmann, Arizona, December 1, 2010
On December 1, 2010 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Piper PA 28-181, registered N4122F, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Wittmann, Arizona. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2010 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wittmann, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-181 · all PA 28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N4122F · no longer on the register · serial 2843118
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was making a solo cross-country flight involving four flight legs. Before beginning the final return leg, he completed multiple full stop landings and touch-and-go landings that he had not included in his preflight planning. During the final leg, the engine began to lose power. The student pilot switched the fuel selector valve to the left tank, but then switched it back to the right tank after a short period of time. The engine subsequently lost all power, and the student pilot made a forced landing in rough terrain. Postaccident examination revealed that the right fuel tank was not breached and was empty of fuel. The left fuel tank was breached, and the soil beneath the tank was wet with fuel. After the wreckage was recovered, a fuel delivery system was rigged, and the engine was started and continued to run as the fuel selector was positioned to both the right and left fuel tank positions. According to the pilot operating handbook for the airplane, if the pilot allows a tank to run dry and the engine loses power, it may take up to 10 seconds for fuel to reach the engine after the other tank is selected. It is likely that, after running the right tank dry, the pilot did not leave the selector in the left tank position for long enough to allow fuel to reach the engine.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (descent)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 61 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,558 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 28, 2010; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Transpac Aviation Academy
The flight
- Departed from: E25 Wickenburg AZ at 5:30 pm
- Destination: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 1 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from LUF, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.