Piper PA-23-250 N54819

Summary

On 22 July 1991 at about 20:50 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N54819, operated by Charles O'donnell, was involved in an accident near Templeton, Massachusetts, United States. 3 people were 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

22 July 1991 at 20:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Templeton, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Gardner Municipal (GDM)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-250

Registration

N54819

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Charles O'donnell

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Keene → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC91LA185

Nobody was injured.

FUEL STARVATION INDUCED POWER LOSS ON FIRST THE LEFT ENGINE DUE TO A FAILED FUEL FITTING AND THEN THE RIGHT ENGINE DUE TO A WORN FUEL FITTING. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING A DAY CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF LEFT ENGINE POWER. NORMAL RESTART PROCEDURES WHICH INCLUDED A SELECTION OF THE CROSS-FEED POSITION FAILED TO RESTORE POWER TO THE LEFT ENGINE. THE PILOT DIVERTED TO AN EN ROUTE AIRPORT FOR A SINGLE ENGINE APPROACH AND LANDING. AS THE PILOT INITIATED A SINGLE ENGINE GO-AROUND, A COMPLETE POWER LOSS OCCURRED TO THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND TERRAIN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BROKEN FUEL FITTING ON THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR UNIT AND WORN THREADS ON A FUEL FITTING ON THE RIGHT ENGINE. THIS RESULTED IN THE FUEL STARVATION POWER LOSS TO BOTH ENGINES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.