Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Columbus, Ohio 43219
Thursday, January 23, 1992 4:35 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKING OFF AT NIGHT, HE RAISED THE LANDING GEAR, STARTED A TURN TO THE OUTBOUND HEADING AND ADJUSTED BOTH PROPELLER CONTROLS. HE THEN TURNED ON THE OVERHEAD LIGHT, ADJUSTED THE HEAT BY MOVING BOTH SELECTOR LEVERS TO THE CENTER POSITION, CONTINUED CLIMBING AND HAD STARTED TO ADJUST THE MIXTURE CONTROLS, WHEN ATC GAVE HIM A FREQUENCY CHANGE. AT THAT TIME, BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINES, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE SAID HE THEN 'CUT' THE MIXTURE CONTROLS AND MADE AN EMERGENCY WHEELS UP LANDING IN A FIELD. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION SHOWED THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL WITH NO CONTAMINATES. FUEL FLOW WAS ESTABLISHED FROM THE FUEL TANK(S) TO THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT(S) BY USING THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. THE LEFT ENGINE WAS STARTED AND TEST RUN WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. THE RIGHT ENGINE COULD NOT BE RUN DUE TO ITS UNSAFE CONDITION, BUT AN EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL STARVATION IN BOTH ENGINES, DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE ENGINE OR FUEL CONTROLS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/23/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 435
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City COLUMBUS
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43219
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 8500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 2265
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 23 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 815
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46637
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8434H
NTSB Number BFO92LA024
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-34-200T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200T
Aircraft Serial Number 34-8133219
Certified Max Gross Weight 4750
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 Jan 16 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 2757
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TECH-AIR, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 460 MEDWICK WAY
Aircraft Owner City WPRTJOMGTPM
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CENTRAL SKYPORT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4700 E 5TH AVENUE
Operator City COLUMBUS
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 43219
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 434
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MNN
Destination City MARION
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight 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 --