Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Middlesboro-Bell County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Middlesboro, Kentucky 40965
Tuesady, October 22, 2002 18:18 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Prior to the pilot's departure, a mechanic observed him spraying fuel from a "squirt bottle" into the air intake of the left engine. The pilot stated to the mechanic that he had experienced this problem several times before, and it appeared to be that the "engine-driven fuel pump had lost its prime." During the engine start, the engine "backfired," and a small fire was observed in the engine area. The pilot shut the engine down, and the fire extinguished itself. A few minutes later, the pilot started the engine again, performed a run-up inspection, and departed. At an altitude of 50 feet, the left engine lost power, and the pilot attempted a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane impacted a house, and came to rest in the street. Examination of the engine revealed that the locking tang from the left electric boost pump had fractured and separated from the pump. A portion of the locking tang was located inside the engine-driven fuel pump, and it was noted that the fuel pump drive spline was sheared due to an overstress fracture.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's operation of the airplane with a known deficiency. Factors related to the accident were the loss of engine power of the left engine due to a failure of the left engine-driven and electric fuel pumps, and inadequate maintenance.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/22/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1818 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Middlesboro |
| Event State | KENTUCKY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 40965 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 363638N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0834414W |
| Event Location Airport | Middlesboro-Bell County |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 1A6 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 100 |
| Airport Elevation | 1154 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1753 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TYS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 981 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 45 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.14 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 761 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 14442 |
| NTSB Notification Source | SROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 22 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1835 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 25 2003 11:36AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Louisville FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8770Y |
| NTSB Number | IAD03LA008 |
| 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-30 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 30-1926 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3725 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 15 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 72 |
| Airframe Hours | 5790 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CR Quesenberry Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Abingdon |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 24212 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Clifford Quesenberry |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Bristol |
| Operator State | VA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 24202 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 1A6 |
| Departure City | Middlesboro |
| Departure State | KY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1816 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | VJI |
| Destination City | Abingdon |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 8 2003 2:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COXP |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 10 |
| Runway Length | 3630 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |