Piper PA-28-235 N2VZ

Summary

On 11 December 1994 at about 03:15 local time, a Piper PA-28-235 registered N2VZ was involved in an accident near Seattle, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 December 1994 at 03:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Seattle, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.7492, -122.2391

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-235

Registration

N2VZ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oakland → Seattle

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

SEA95FA029

2 people died.

FUEL EXHAUSTION, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL EN ROUTE. FACTORS INCLUDE A DARK NIGHT AND DITCHING IN THE WATERS OF PUGET SOUND.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRCRAFT DITCHED IN PUGET SOUND DURING A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT HAD FLOWN FOR A LITTLE OVER FIVE HOURS AND WAS REPORTED BY WITNESSES TO HAVE BEEN HEAVILY LOADED WHEN IT WAS OBSERVED TAXIING BEFORE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT'S FIRST ATTEMPT AT AN APPROACH AT HIS DESTINATION WAS UNSECCESSFUL, AND HE WAS BEING VECTORED FOR A SECOND ATTEMPT WHEN HE REPORTED THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. ACCORDING TO PERFORMANCE FIGURES PROVIDED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS THAN FIVE GALLONS OF FUEL DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT'S FOUR TANKS AT THE TIME OF THE LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE HAD SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND TURNED ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMP, BUT THE ENGINE APPARENTLY DID NOT REGAIN POWER, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DITCHED IN THE WATERS OF PUGET SOUND. THE PILOT'S BODY WAS RECOVERED THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT; THE PASSENGER'S BODY AND THE AIRCRAFT WERE NOT RECOVERED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.