Gardner Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Templeton, Massachusetts 01468
Monday, July 22, 1991 16:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A DAY CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF LEFT ENGINE POWER. NORMAL RESTART PROCEDURES WHICH INCLUDED A SELECTION OF THE CROSS-FEED POSITION FAILED TO RESTORE POWER TO THE LEFT ENGINE. THE PILOT DIVERTED TO AN EN ROUTE AIRPORT FOR A SINGLE ENGINE APPROACH AND LANDING. AS THE PILOT INITIATED A SINGLE ENGINE GO-AROUND, A COMPLETE POWER LOSS OCCURRED TO THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND TERRAIN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BROKEN FUEL FITTING ON THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR UNIT AND WORN THREADS ON A FUEL FITTING ON THE RIGHT ENGINE. THIS RESULTED IN THE FUEL STARVATION POWER LOSS TO BOTH ENGINES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL STARVATION INDUCED POWER LOSS ON FIRST THE LEFT ENGINE DUE TO A FAILED FUEL FITTING AND THEN THE RIGHT ENGINE DUE TO A WORN FUEL FITTING. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/22/1991
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TEMPLETON
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01468
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GARDNER MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GDM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 955
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 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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1808
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45686
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N54819
NTSB Number NYC91LA185
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 27-7554116
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
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 J.P. AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address MANSFIELD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City MANSFIELD
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02048
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHARLES O'DONNELL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 44 CRANE STREET
Operator City NORTON
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 02766
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 EEN
Departure City KEENE
Departure State NH
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --