Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Fitch H Beach Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Charlotte, Michigan 48813
Thursday, October 9, 1997 10:17 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The left-seat pilot stated that before takeoff, the fuel selectors for both engines were set to the 'INBOARD' detents. The cowl flap selectors, located forward of the fuel selectors on the same floor mounted console, were both set to the 'OPEN' positions. At approximately 1200-1300 feet AGL, the co-pilot began to transition the aircraft from climb to cruise, and initiated action to close the cowl flaps. Shortly thereafter, both engines lost total power simultaneously. In attempts to restart the engines, the pilot-in-command tried varying the power level positions, adjusting the mixture control, and turning the fuel pumps on and off. He decided to initiate a forced landing in a soybean field. During the subsequent forced landing, the airplane touched down approximately 150 feet from the end of the field. The airplane slid across the bean field, collided with trees, and came to rest. Examination of the cockpit revealed both fuel selectors to be in the middle position, indicating 'OFF.' The cowl flap selectors were both in the full up and aft position, indicating 'OPEN.' Both pilots stated that the cowl flap selectors were set to the 'OPEN' position during takeoff and climb. The co-pilot stated that he moved the cowl flap selectors to the middle, or 'trail' position, shortly before both engines failed. Neither pilot remembered touching the fuel selectors at any time after takeoff.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
improper positioning of the fuel selector by the second pilot, which resulted in fuel starvation; inadequate supervision by the pilot-in-command; and failure of the flight crew to follow the published emergency procedures for loss of engine power.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/9/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1017 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | CHARLOTTE |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48813 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | FITCH H BEACH |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 07G |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 891 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1017 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TEW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 6000 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1770 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 696 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 9 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1209 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:36PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N54738 |
| NTSB Number | CHI98LA011 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| 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 | 27-7554052 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5200 |
| 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 | May 10 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3217 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BILL M. KELLY |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4602 EAST CLINTON TRAIL |
| Aircraft Owner City | EATON RAPIDS |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48827 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | GLENN DOUGLAS LEONARD |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 711 MARLENE COURT |
| Operator City | EULESS |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 76040 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 07G |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1000 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 07G |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 20 |
| Runway Length | 3500 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |