Piper PA-31-350 N35479

Summary

On 20 May 1989 at about 08:48 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N35479, operated by Northern Aviation, was involved in an accident near Arcata, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 May 1989 at 08:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Arcata, California, United States

Nearest airport

Arcata (ACV)

Coordinates

40.8510, -124.0508

Aircraft

Piper PA-31-350

Registration

N35479

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Northern Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Seattle → Eureka

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX89LA199

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOTS INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS AND IMPROPER FUEL TANK SELECTOR POSITION. THESE RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION TO BOTH ENGINES WHEN THE AUX TANKS RAN DRY AND THE MAINS HAD FUEL REMAINING IN THEM. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED WHEN THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE ESTABLISHED ON AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH, THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART EITHER ENGINE AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE AUX TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE MAIN FUEL TANKS CONTAINED AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY AND WERE RUPTURED IN THE CRASH SEQUENCE. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN OPERATING OFF OF THE AUX TANKS PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF POWER. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS REPORTED WITH THE AIRPLANE OR ENGINES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.