Piper PA-31-350 N50WT

Summary

On 9 January 1995 at about 22:22 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N50WT was involved in an accident near Brownsville, Texas, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 January 1995 at 22:22

Classification

Accident

Location

Brownsville, Texas, United States

Coordinates

25.9601, -97.5504

Aircraft

Piper PA-31-350

Registration

N50WT

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cancun → El Paso

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95LA085

2 people had minor injuries.

THE FUEL STARVATION LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S QUALIFICATION AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING AN INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE PRIVATE PILOT, CERTIFICATED SINGLE ENGINE LAND, EXPERIENCED A DUAL ENGINE POWER LOSS AS HE WAS BEING VECTORED TO THE BROWNSVILLE AIRPORT. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR WHO FOUND THAT THERE WAS FUEL IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION. THE PILOT HAD REPORTED, PRIOR TO LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, THAT HE HAD LOW FUEL INDICATIONS IN THE RIGHT TANK AND THAT HE NEEDED A VECTOR TO BROWNSVILLE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED IN ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE AND WINGS, APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.