Piper PA-23-160 N338WS

Summary

On 13 March 2009 at about 18:30 local time, a Piper PA-23-160 registered N338WS, operated by Delbert Reiff, was involved in an accident near Shelbyville, Indiana, United States. One person was 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

13 March 2009 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Shelbyville, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Shelbyville Municipal Airport (GEZ)

Coordinates

39.5831, -85.8047

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-160

Registration

N338WS

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Delbert Reiff

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Chesterfield

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09LA211

Nobody was injured.

The loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fuel contamination. Also causal was the pilot's decision to conduct the flight with known contaminants in the fuel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane had not been flown for four years. It was on the second leg of a ferry flight when the left engine failed. The pilot made a forced landing to a plowed field, during which the wings and bottom fuselage sustained substantial damage. Prior to the accident flight, the pilot told the airport manager that he could not get all of the water out of the fuel system and that he was sure that more water would be found during sumping, due to sloshing during the flight from the previous airport. The pilot stated that no contamination was found during the preflight. An examination of the airplane showed water in the fuel. No other anomalies were found with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.