Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Garden Valley, Idaho 83622
Saturday, July 3, 1999 12:00 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that while in cruise configuration, the low fuel pressure lights illuminated and the left engine began to surge. The pilot selected cross-feed and the engine functioned normally . Three to four minutes after selecting cross-feed, the left engine began to surge again. With the right engine still operating, the pilot secured the left engine and executed a forced landing in an open field. During the landing roll, the aircraft collided with a ditch and the nose gear collapsed, causing substantial damage to the aircraft's fuselage. An FAA inspector inspected the aircraft after the accident and reported that there was no evidence of fuel in the aircraft's fuel tanks. He also stated the fuel system was not breached and there was no evidence of a preexisting fuel leak. In a written statement, the pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft at the time of the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion because the pilot failed to refuel the airplane. A ditch in the landing area was a contributing factor in the accident.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/3/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1200 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | GARDEN VALLEY |
| Event State | IDAHO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 83622 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| 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 | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1156 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BOI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2868 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 33 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 0 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| 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) | -- |
| 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 | 6 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1005 |
| NTSB Notification Source | |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 3 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1145 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 2 2004 9:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3528Y |
| NTSB Number | SEA99LA100 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| 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 | 317952149 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 7368 |
| 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 | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 3 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 39 |
| Airframe Hours | 8559 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MOUNTAIN BIRD INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 698 |
| Aircraft Owner City | SALMON |
| Aircraft Owner State | ID |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 83467 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | SALMON AIR, INC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 698 |
| Operator City | SALMON |
| Operator State | ID |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 83467 |
| Operator Code | GAJA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger/Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | SMN |
| Departure City | SALMON |
| Departure State | ID |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1120 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | BOI |
| Destination City | BOISE |
| Destination State | ID |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 11 2001 3:26PM |
| 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 | -- |