Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sod, West Virginia 25564
Saturday, August 31, 1991 19:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS EN ROUTE WHEN HE RADIOED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL HE LOST POWER IN ONE OF THE ENGINES. ATC LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH THE PILOT SOON AFTERWARDS. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE CIRCLED AND THEN LANDED IN A FIELD. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD AND THEN ROLLED OVER. COLLAPSING THE FUSELAGE. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED ROTATIONAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT PROPELLER, AND RELATIVELY NO DAMAGE TO THE LEFT PROPELLER. AN INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE REVEALED FUEL IN THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL INJECTOR UNIT; HOWEVER, THE SAME COMPONENTS OF THE LEFT ENGINE WERE ABSENT OF FUEL. THE LEAKAGE OF FUEL FROM THE FUEL TANKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIRPLANE DAMAGE PRECLUDED DETERMINATION OF THE FUEL ABOARD WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER LEVEL OFF WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. CONTRIBUTING WAS FUEL STARVATION RESULTING IN PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/31/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1940
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SOD
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25564
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2013 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HTS
Elevation of weather observation facility 1828
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 999
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2299
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 31 1991 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50111
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2001 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5435Y
NTSB Number BFO91FA078
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
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
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 Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARTHUR G. MALONE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 79 GERONIMO DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ST. ALBANS
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 25177
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ARTHUR G. MALOONE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 79 GERONIMO DRIVE
Operator City ST. ALBANS
Operator State WV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 25177
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 HTO
Departure City HUNTINGTON
Departure State WV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1938
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CRW
Destination City CHARLESTON
Destination State WV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --