ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 72835
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Wednesday 17 February 2010 |
| Time: | 07:08 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-30-160 Twin Comanche B |
| Owner/operator: | William Ellett |
| Registration: | N8501Y |
| MSN: | 30-1660 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1967 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-320 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Arctic Glacier Premium Ice Building, 505 SW 47th Avenue, Amarillo, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Amarillo, TX (TDW) |
| Alamagordo, NM (ALM) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The airplane had just departed when, about one minute after takeoff, it made a turn as if to return to the airport at about 900 feet above ground level. A witness observed the airplane flying low before it impacted a warehouse building. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed water in the fuel recovered from both the left and right engine fuel systems. Both auxiliary fuel tank caps could be removed without releasing the expansion tab and the left main fuel tank cap could be removed without unscrewing the release mechanism, indicative that the caps were loose and worn. The airplane had been exposed to accumulating snow the week prior to the accident. An examination of the airplane's remaining systems revealed no anomalies.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to detect water contaminated fuel, which resulted in a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. Contributing to the accident were the worn and loose fuel caps, which allowed water to enter the fuel tanks.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: 2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=8501Y
4. https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N8501Y
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-Feb-2010 03:44 | RobertMB | Added |
| 18-Feb-2010 13:44 | RobertMB | Updated [Location] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 13-Apr-2017 14:51 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 26-Nov-2017 15:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation