Parr Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Parrfield, Ohio 43701
Sunday, March 6, 1994 9:02 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 8000 FEET, BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER WITHIN 30 SECONDS OF EACH OTHER. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO GET EITHER ENGINE RESTARTED, ALTHOUGH THE ENGINES WOULD OCCASIONALLY RUN FOR 3 OR 4 SECONDS AND THEN STOP. ATC VECTORED THE AIRPLANE TOWARD AN AIRPORT, WHICH THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REACH, AND AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING WAS DONE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER THE ENGINES LOST POWER, HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE INBOARD TO THE OUTBOARD FUEL TANKS. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED ABOUT 3 TO 4 TABLESPOONS OF FUEL IN EACH CARBURETOR. THE OUTBOARD FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY; THE INBOARD FUEL TANKS CONTAINED FUEL. THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE OUTBOARD TANKS. THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR WAS DAMAGED AND ITS POSITION WAS NOT DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's mismanagment of the fuel supply by the improper positioning of the fuel selector valves, which resulted in fuel starvation and the total loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/6/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 902
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PARRFIELD
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43701
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PARR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 42I
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 100
Airport Elevation 790
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID ZZV
Elevation of weather observation facility 900
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 594
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 5 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1006
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:52AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N99BR
NTSB Number NYC94LA053
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-370
Certified Max Gross Weight 4800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 15 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 4147
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL E. SMUCKER,
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6 ROLLING HILL DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City LETITZ
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17543
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LNS
Departure City LANCASTER
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 645
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CGX
Destination City CHICAGO
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 28
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 26
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --