Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 30 near Mineral Wells, TX — 2016-09-22

Final reportCEN16LA380
Sign in to save
Date
2016-09-22
Location
Mineral Wells, TX, USA
Airport
MWL
Aircraft
PIPER PA 30
Registration
N7663Y
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot's fuel mismanagement, which resulted in fuel starvation to both engines and their subsequent loss of engine power.

NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot reported that, before the flight preceding the accident flight, he added 19 gallons of fuel to the auxiliary and main fuel tanks. He added that he did not add fuel to the tip tanks and that he had used all the fuel in those tanks during the flight before the accident flight. The pilot then departed for the accident flight. He stated that, during the flight, he only used the auxiliary and main fuel tanks and that, while on final approach for landing, he switched from the auxiliary to the main fuel tanks for landing. Shortly thereafter, the right engine lost power and then the left engine lost power. The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing to a road and a field, during which the fuselage and wings were crushed, the empennage was partially separated from the fuselage, and the pilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The examination of both engines, fuel tanks, and related fuel systems revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. One gallon of fuel was recovered from the right main tank fuel lines, and 3 gallons of fuel were recovered from the left auxiliary tank. Although no fuel was recovered from the tip fuel tanks, damage signatures on both tip fuel tanks were consistent with both tanks being full of fuel at the time of the accident. Given this evidence, it is likely that pilot did not use the tip fuel tanks during the previous flight despite believing that he had done so and instead used the main and auxiliary fuel tanks. The pilot's fuel mismanagement resulted in fuel starvation to both engines and their subsequent loss of engine power while on final approach to the airport.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have switched to main tanks earlier to prevent engine surging.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

Related mishaps