Piper PA-30 N8501Y

Summary

On 17 February 2010 at about 13:08 local time, a Piper PA-30 registered N8501Y, operated by William Ellett, was involved in an accident near Amarillo, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 February 2010 at 13:08

Classification

Accident

Location

Amarillo, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Tradewind Airport (TDW)

Coordinates

35.1107, -101.7407

Aircraft

Piper PA-30

Registration

N8501Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

William Ellett

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Amarillo → Alamagordo

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

CEN10FA122

2 people died.

The pilot’s failure to detect water contaminated fuel, which resulted in a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. Contributing to the accident were the worn and loose fuel caps, which allowed water to enter the fuel tanks.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane had just departed when, about one minute after takeoff, it made a turn as if to return to the airport at about 900 feet above ground level. A witness observed the airplane flying low before it impacted a warehouse building. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed water in the fuel recovered from both the left and right engine fuel systems. Both auxiliary fuel tank caps could be removed without releasing the expansion tab and the left main fuel tank cap could be removed without unscrewing the release mechanism, indicative that the caps were loose and worn. The airplane had been exposed to accumulating snow the week prior to the accident. An examination of the airplane's remaining systems revealed no anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.