Piper PA-32-300 N4509T

Summary

On 11 August 2006 at about 02:15 local time, a Piper PA-32-300 registered N4509T was involved in an accident near Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. 7 people were on board and 7 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 August 2006 at 02:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands

Nearest airport

Saipan International (GSN)

Coordinates

15.1236, 145.7475

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-300

Registration

N4509T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Saipan → Tinian

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX06FA258

7 people were seriously injured.

A loss of engine power during the initial climb due to fuel starvation resulting from the pilot's improper fuel selector valve position selection and his failure to select a tank containing an adequate fuel supply. Contributing to the accident was the high vegetation and dark night lighting conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane, boarded 6 passengers, and departed on the inter-island passenger transportation flight to a neighboring island, 11 miles away. The pilot departed from an intersection 3,100 feet beyond the runway's beginning, which left 5,600 feet of available runway ahead. Seconds after liftoff the pilot commenced a right turn away from the runway and toward the neighboring island. During the initial climb between 200 and 350 above the ground, the engine experienced fuel starvation. Unable to return to the runway, the pilot made a forced landing in jungle-like, high terrain, about 2,500 feet beyond the runway's departure end. The airplane was substantially damaged during the impact sequence and thereafter was destroyed by a post impact fire. An examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. The pilot did not report experiencing any flight control problems. During the subsequent wreckage examination, the fuel tank selector was found set to the left tip tank position. Both the company's Director of Operations and the accident pilot reported that the tip tanks were kept empty or nearly empty. The Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) indicates to "Fill tip tanks first; use main tanks first" must be observed in the operation of this airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.