Piper PA-23-250 N5353Y

Summary

On 23 November 1985 at about 23:50 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N5353Y was involved in an accident near Tustin, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

23 November 1985 at 23:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Tustin, California, United States

Nearest airport

John Wayne Arpt (SNA)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-250

Registration

N5353Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Madera → Santa Ana

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX86LA046

1 person had minor injuries.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT'S MECHANIC PERFORMED A PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION OF THE ACFT. NO MALFUNCTIONS WERE DETECTED WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM, & THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE PLT THAT THE ACFT WAS OVERALL 'IN GOOD CONDITION.' LATER IN THE DAY THE PLT PURCHASED THE ACFT, & AFTER OBSERVING THAT ITS MAIN FUEL TANKS WERE VIRTUALLY FULL HE TOOK OFF. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, WITH FULL MAIN FUEL TANKS THE ACFT'S ENDURANCE WOULD BE 2.8 HRS. DURING THE FLIGHT THE PLT OBSERVED THE MAIN TANKS' FUEL GAUGES, & THEY INDICATED THE FUEL LEVEL TO BE AT 1/2 & 1/4 CAPACITY. 10 MIN LATER BOTH ENGINES LOST ALL POWER, & PLT MADE A FORCED LDG IN AN UNDERLYING SOFT FIELD. EXAM OF THE FUEL TANKS' BLADDERS REVEALED THAT SOME OF THE SNAP FASTENERS DESIGNED TO SECURE THE TOPS OF THE BLADDERS WERE EXCESSIVELY WEATHER CHECKED & HAD SHRUNK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.