Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brownsville, Texas 78520
Monday, January 9, 1995 16:22 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE PRIVATE PILOT, CERTIFICATED SINGLE ENGINE LAND, EXPERIENCED A DUAL ENGINE POWER LOSS AS HE WAS BEING VECTORED TO THE BROWNSVILLE AIRPORT. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR WHO FOUND THAT THERE WAS FUEL IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION. THE PILOT HAD REPORTED, PRIOR TO LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, THAT HE HAD LOW FUEL INDICATIONS IN THE RIGHT TANK AND THAT HE NEEDED A VECTOR TO BROWNSVILLE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED IN ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE AND WINGS, APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FUEL STARVATION LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S QUALIFICATION AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/9/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1622
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BROWNSVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78520
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 1
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1556 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID BRO
Elevation of weather observation facility 23
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 2
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 188
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 9 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N50WT
NTSB Number FTW95LA085
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 31-7952018
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GLADYS ENTERPRISES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1550 HAWKINS, SUITE 6
Aircraft Owner City EL PASO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79925
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 MMUN
Departure City CANCUN
Departure State MX
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ELP
Destination City EL PASO
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
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 --