N6852P (PA-24) down near KHZE in North Dakota, 6/28/2026

iamtheari

iamtheari

Administrator
Management Council Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2016
Messages
5,585
Display Name
Ari

Not much detail as yet. But the FlightAware history shows them arriving about 12:01 local time and the mishap flight track starting at 12:17 with no tracking data.

Conditions at my house, 75 miles away, were breezy through the afternoon but not severe.
 
iamtheari said:

Not much detail as yet. But the FlightAware history shows them arriving about 12:01 local time and the mishap flight track starting at 12:17 with no tracking data.

Conditions at my house, 75 miles away, were breezy through the afternoon but not severe.
Click to expand...
Flightradar24 has the track. It’s contiguous with the inbound track, with N6852P departing MOT at 1658z, flying west to Stanley (08D) at 1720z. After a 10 minute turnaround, it flew SE to Hazen (HZE), arriving at 1800z, taxied to the ramp for another 10-15 minute turnaround, then departed runway 15 at 1816. After takeoff, the flight path veered to the right of the runway, then gently turned left until ending about 1/3 mile straight off the departure end at 1817z. According to ADS-B, it never got more than 2-300 feet off the ground.

For reference, here was the most recent weather observation, recorded 22 minutes prior to the accident:

KHZE 281755Z AUTO 22008G18KT 10SM CLR 22/14 A2960 RMK AO2

IMG_8551.jpeg
 
Preliminary report is out: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203269/pdf

Airport security video showed the airplane land and taxi to the self-serve fuel tank. The pilot fueled the airplane, but he did not put the left fuel cap back on or closed the fuel door after the fueling was complete. The pilot then pushed the airplane back about 15 ft, boarded the airplane, and started the engine with no preflight inspection observed on the video. As soon as the engine started, the video showed the left fuel cap falling off the back of the wing. The airplane then started to taxi, and the unsecured fuel door on top of the wing could be seen flopping up. The security video then showed the airplane taxi back to runway 15 and depart. The video did not show the airplane after departure.
Click to expand...

I wonder if he lost power and didn’t change tanks or if he got focused on the gas spewing out of the top of the wing.
 
It's painful and frustrating to see people die in accidents that are so easily avoidable.
 
iamtheari said:
I wonder if he lost power and didn’t change tanks or if he got focused on the gas spewing out of the top of the wing.
Click to expand...
Visual fuel cap secure and no fuel siphoning is one of the verbal callouts I was taught to do on takeoff roll when transitioning to the Mooney.
 
Bill said:
Visual fuel cap secure and no fuel siphoning is one of the verbal callouts I was taught to do on takeoff roll when transitioning to the Mooney.
Click to expand...
With that style of fuel caps, it's really easy to siphon fuel. Ask me how I know. The cap can be closed and locked, but *just* off level and fuel comes out at a pretty surprising rate.

I don't think the Comanche uses that style, though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top