Piper PA-23-250 N5985Y

Summary

On 23 November 2002 at about 17:00 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N5985Y was involved in an accident near Stalwart, Michigan, 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

23 November 2002 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Stalwart, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

46.0367, -84.4200

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-250

Registration

N5985Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lambertville → Drummond Island

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI03LA029

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper fuel management during the flight and the pilot's improper decision not to select the outboard fuel tank when a loss of engine power was experienced, resulting in fuel starvation, a sustained loss of engine power, and subsequent forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While in cruise descent the left engine experienced a loss of engine power and the pilot performed a forced landing on an agricultural field. The pilot stated he checked the fuel quantity gauges and the "left fuel quantity was reading 1/4 tank and the fuel selector remained on the inboard tanks because the [gauge] indicated fuel in the tank." The pilot reported that he did not secure the left engine and feather the propeller because "the [left] engine was creating some thrust and this could be needed to reach land." The aircraft was situated over Lake Huron when the left engine experienced the loss of engine power. All four fuel tanks were drained during a post-accident inspection. The two inboard fuel tanks were empty and a total of 70 gallons of fuel was recovered from the two outboard tanks. The fuel tanks were not ruptured or damaged. The left engine started and ran without anomalies when the fuel selector was positioned on the outboard tank. The pilot reported that prior to departure "all fuel tanks were topped off", totaling 144 gallons.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.