ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 296296
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: | Tuesday 7 January 2003 |
| Time: | 12:32 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-23-250 |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | N74AA |
| MSN: | 23-3288 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7600 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-540 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Barrington Hill, Illinois -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Watertown Municipal Airport, WI (KRYV) |
| Schaumburg, IL (06C) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of power in both engines during cruise flight. The pilot reported one engine sputtered. He stated he switched fuel tanks and verified the mixture was full rich. Shortly thereafter the other engine also sputtered. At this point, the pilot stated that he setup for a forced landing into a small field. However, he overshot his intended touchdown point and impacted trees adjacent to the field. Prior to departure, the pilot stated he requested FBO line service personnel top off the inboard main fuel tanks. He also reported he verified that the fuel tank caps were present and secure, but he did not remove any of the fuel caps to visually check fuel quantity. The FBO line service personnel who fueled the aircraft stated the pilot requested that the outboard fuel tanks be topped off. During an interview, when questioned about the configuration of the fuel cap, he reported the tanks he fueled had standard, twist-off caps. The aircraft was configured with 3 fuel tanks in each wing, the production inboard and outboard main tanks and the auxiliary wing tip tanks. The inboard and outboard main tanks were configured with a sub-flush fuel cap that was covered by a small, hinged panel. The auxiliary tank fuel cap was a standard, twist-off type. This cap protruded above the wing contour and was not covered by a secondary panel. During the on-scene investigation, the inboard main fuel tanks were empty. The outboard main tanks contained fuel, however an exact amount could not be determined. Both wing tip tanks were separated and ruptured. An examination of each engine was completed. The fuel flow divider units for both engines were disassembled and did not contain any fluid. The diaphragms were intact. No other anomolies were noted.
Probable Cause: The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation. An inadequate preflight inspection and the trees encountered during the forced landing were contributing factors.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB CHI03FA047
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Oct-2022 18:53 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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