Primary finding
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to perform refueling.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot of a glider tow plane descended for landing at home field. The engine quit due to fuel exhaustion and the airplane landed short of the runway.
Source record
Factual narrative
On October 5, 1993, about 1600 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235 airplane, N6862Z, operated by Northwest Soaring Club experienced loss of engine power during descent and landed short of the runway at Frankfort, Michigan. The solo commercial pilot reported no injury. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the glider tow flight. The local flight originated about 1550 without a flight plan and operated under 14 CFR 91. The pilot reported the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. No mechanical malfunction or failure was reported or found. When examined, the airplane contained less than a gallon of fuel and the fuel gage read empty. The pilot obtained a checkout in model the day before the accident. -