Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Burns, Oregon 97720
Wednesday, August 1, 1990 14:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT, INACTIVE FOR 8 YEARS, WAS BEING FERRIED TO THE PILOTS FACILITIES FOR REBUILD. WHILE IN CRUISE FLT, THE RT ENG QUIT AND THE PROP WOULD NOT FEATHER. THE ACFT WOULD NOT MAINT ALT IN THAT CONFIGURATION AND THE PILOT BEGAN A FORCED LANDING, DURING WHICH THE LEFT ENG QUIT. THE ACFT IMPACTED SOFT TERRAIN, COLLAPSING THE LDG GEAR, AND DAMAGING THE LOWER FUSELAGE. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS IN 1982. THE FEERY PERMIT ISSUED FOR THE FLT EXPIRED 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE FLT. A FUEL TANK WAS CHANGED BEFORE THE FLT & THE PILOT APPLIED TAPE ON THE FILLER CAP. POST ACCIDENT EXAM OF THE ACFT FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THE LEFT FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY AND THE RT OUTBOARD TANK LINE WAS BLOCKED. THE RT OUTBOARD TANK WAS SELECTED WHEN THE RT ENG QUIT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A BLOCKED FUEL LINE AND THE OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT IN AN NON-AIRWORTHY CONDITION BY THE PIC.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BURNS
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97720
Event Date Year 1990
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1549 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID BNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4141
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6680
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1030
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42251
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N681M
NTSB Number SEA90LA153
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 27-20
Certified Max Gross Weight 4800
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jun 28 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 4616
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DORTHEA M. SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 200 WEST 34TH, SUITE 80
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99503
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT M. BRIGGS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2138 UNIVERSITY PARK DR.
Operator City SACRAMENTO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95825
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code S22
Departure City HERMISTON
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code O70
Destination City JACKSON
Destination State CA
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --