Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Griffith-Merrillville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Griffith, Indiana 46319
Wednesday, January 10, 2001 9:30 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported all four fuel tanks were topped off with fuel. The pilot reported that during start-up he "switched fuel selectors from inboard tanks to outboard tanks and noted that the fuel gauges registered empty. …I then recycled the fuel control valves, even though they were hard to move since they were setting out in the 15 degree weather, and got a full reading on both gauges." The pilot reported that the takeoff procedure was normal and that all gauges were normal prior to rotation. He reported, "Within seconds of rotation, I experienced what I think was a loss of both engines. …With no time to spare, since I was losing altitude, I initiated a turn to avoid damage to life and property in the vicinity of the take off path." The pilot had received his multi-engine land rating on November 8, 2000, and had a total of 31 hours of multi-engine experience, all flown in the accident airplane. The inspection of the airplane revealed flight control continuity to all control surfaces. The left wing inboard and outboard fuel tanks had been compromised. No fuel was found in the left wing gascolator. Fuel was observed in the right wing inboard tank. The right outboard tank was compromised and contained no fuel. The right gascolator contained fuel and dirty brown water contamination. The left and right propeller blades exhibited minor bending. No preexisting anomalies were observed from the left or right engine that would preclude normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The unsuitable terrain for landing encountered by the pilot. Factors included the loss of power for undetermined reasons and the rough terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/10/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 930 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | GRIFFITH |
| Event State | INDIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 46319 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Griffith-Merrillville |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 05C |
| 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 | 634 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 850 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 350 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GYY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 592 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 15 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -5 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.2 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 11448 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 10 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1130 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 20 2002 1:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA-SOUTH BEND FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N200WH |
| NTSB Number | CHI01TA063 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-23 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 27-3482 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 15 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 33 |
| Airframe Hours | 6978 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2293 N. MAIN ST. |
| Aircraft Owner City | CROWN POINT |
| Aircraft Owner State | IN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 46319 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 05C |
| Departure City | GRIFFITH |
| Departure State | IN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 930 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 14 2002 10:02AM |
| User who most recently changed record | JOHB |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 26 |
| Runway Length | 4013 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |