Cuyahoga County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cleveland, Ohio 44143
Friday, March 4, 1988 20:19 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPTD THAT BOTH ENGINES BEGAN TO SURGE SHORTLY AFTER T/O DURING CLIMB. THE ENGINES SUBSEQUENTLY LOST PWR COMPLETELY, AND THE PLT MADE A FORCED LDG IN TREES. POST-CRASH EXAM REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTORS WERE IN THE INBD TANK POSITIONS. THE LT INBD TANK WAS FOUND TO BE EMPTY W/NO EVIDENCE OF LEAKAGE PRESENT. THE RT INBD TANK WAS DESTROYED. THE LT OTBD TANK WAS ALMOST FULL, WHILE THE DAMAGED RT OTBD TANK WAS PARTIALLY FULL. EXAM OF THE ENGINES SEVERAL DAYS LATER REVEALED ONLY TRACE AMOUNTS OF FUEL. NO EVIDENCE OF WATER CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND ANYWHERE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE PLT STATED THAT HE TOOKOFF WITH THE FUEL SELECTORS ON THE OTBD TANK POSITIONS AND SWITCHED TO THE INBD POSITIONS AFTER THE ENGINES BEGAN TO SURGE. THE OAT WAS ABOUT 20 DEG F.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/4/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2019
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CLEVELAND
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44143
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CUYAHOGA COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CGF
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 879
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2000 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID CGF
Elevation of weather observation facility 879
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 689
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 4 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36661
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N198CD
NTSB Number ATL88LA103
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
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 27 7654141
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 Dec 1 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 2320
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DC HOLDING CORP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 65 E STATE ST/ RITTER
Aircraft Owner City COLUMBUS
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43215
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name D. C. HOLDING CORPORATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 65 EAST STATE STREET
Operator City COLUMBUS
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 43215
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 2015
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CMH
Destination City COLUMBUS
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 5
Runway Length 5101
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --