Piper PA-23C-250 N6574Y

Summary

On 27 February 1999 at about 19:15 local time, a Piper PA-23C-250 registered N6574Y was involved in an accident near Lamar, Colorado, United States. 2 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

27 February 1999 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Lamar, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

38.0792, -102.6093

Aircraft

Piper PA-23C-250

Registration

N6574Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Worth → Denver

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN99LA046

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper use of the airplane's fuel tank selector switches. Factors were the fuel starvation to both engines, the pilot's lack of sleep, and the soft terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot worked all day on February 26, 1999, and took a late night flight from Seattle, Washington, arriving in Fort Worth, Texas, at approximately 0530. He flew the accident airplane which he was planning to purchase, for approximately one hour. He departed Fort Worth Meacham International Airport, with 144 gallons of fuel on board, for Denver, Colorado. The pilot reported that he used all the fuel in the auxiliary tanks and switched back to the mains. Approximately 20 minutes later, the left engine lost power. He attempted to manipulate the fuel cross-feed system, and to restart the left engine. He turned the airplane towards Lamar, Colorado, and then the right engine lost power. During the forced landing, the nose wheel landing gear separated from the airplane, and subsequently damaged the nose cone and both engine mounts. Postaccident examination of the main fuel tanks revealed that approximately 8 gallons had been used from each. No evidence was found during the investigation to indicate that there were any abnormalities in the fuel feed system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.