Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-34-200T near Nocagdoches, TX — 2010-11-28

Final reportCEN11LA083
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Date
2010-11-28
Location
Nocagdoches, TX, USA
Airport
OCH
Aircraft
PIPER PA-34-200T
Registration
N36405
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

A total loss of power in both engines for undetermined reasons.

NTSB narrative

While in cruise flight, about 1 hour and 10 minutes after departure, the left engine lost power. The pilot proceeded to the nearest airport and as he maneuvered the airplane onto the base leg of the traffic pattern, the right engine lost power. He performed a wheels-up forced landing about 600 feet from the runway. He said he had departed with full fuel. A postaccident examination by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors found no evidence of fuel leakage, and the only visible fuel was approximately 5 gallons of unusable fuel. However, retrieval crews reported a very strong smell of avgas when they arrived one hour after the accident. They estimated at least ten to fifteen gallons of avgas was in both the left and right wing tanks. No anomalies were found with the airplane.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have verified fuel levels before departure to prevent engine power loss.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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