Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hurricane, Utah 84737
Saturday, April 9, 1994 13:35 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TOPPING OFF WITH 72 GALLONS OF FUEL THE PILOT FLEW 1.25 HOURS AND THEN MADE AN INTERMEDIATE STOP DURING WHICH NO FUEL WAS ACQUIRED. UPON DEPARTURE AT 1150 HOURS, THE FUEL GAGES READ SLIGHTLY MORE THAN HALF. DURING THE DESCENT TO HIS FINAL DESTINATION, POWER WAS LOST ON THE LEFT ENGINE. THE PILOT WAS REQUIRED TO HAND PUMP THE GEAR AND FLAPS DOWN DURING WHICH HE 'USED UP MOST OF THE RUNWAY' AND EXECUTED A SINGLE ENGINE GO- AROUND. HE THEN MANUALLY BEGAN HAND PUMPING THE GEAR AND FLAPS UP BUT WAS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH A POSITIVE CLIMB, AND EXECUTED AN INTENTIONAL FORCED LANDING TO AVOID POWER LINES. DURING THE FORCED LANDING (AT 1335 HOURS) THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SEVERAL FENCE POSTS. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY A MECHANIC REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS AND NO ODOR OF FUEL IN OR AROUND THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT IT HAD BEEN A WHILE SINCE HE HAD FLOWN THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO REFUEL AND EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED DURING THE APPROACH. FACTOR(S) WERE: FENCEPOST(S) AND THE LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1335
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City HURRICANE
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84737
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 974
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 9 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1341
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4480P
NTSB Number SEA94LA097
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR/IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23-160
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-160
Aircraft Serial Number 23-2002
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHRISTENSEN, BARRY, T.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3421 SOUTH 8920 WEST
Aircraft Owner City MAGNA
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 83044
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STOUT, KEITH, A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2375 WEST 7680 SOUTH
Operator City WEST JORDAN
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84084
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 CDC
Departure City CEDAR CITY
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1150
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --