Piper PA 24-250 N6168P

Summary

On 1 July 2015 at about 18:54 local time, a Piper PA 24-250 registered N6168P was involved in an accident near Quinlan, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 July 2015 at 18:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Quinlan, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Rockin M (T14)

Coordinates

32.9481, -96.0928

Aircraft

Piper PA 24-250

Registration

N6168P

Category

Airplane

Year built

1959

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Quinlan → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15FA287

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane following a loss of engine power during initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in the wing's critical angle-of-attack being exceeded and a subsequent aerodynamic stall. Also causal was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane's fuel system, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to water contamination.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane, which was owned and operated by the private pilot, experienced a total loss of engine power shortly after takeoff, descended, and impacted a field. A fire erupted that consumed the majority of the airplane's cabin and the inboard sections of both wings. The wreckage distribution, ground scars, and crushing of the wing leading edges were indicative of a low-speed nose-down impact and consistent with an aerodynamic stall. Examination of the fuel system revealed the presence of rust and water in both electric fuel pumps and water in the engine carburetor bowl. The examination revealed no other engine or airframe anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The rust found in the fuel pumps indicated that the fuel system had been contaminated with water for a long period of time. The airplane owner's handbook provided clear and explicit instructions on how to check before flight for fuel system contamination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.