Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marshall, Minnesota 56258
Monday, December 26, 2005 20:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The twin-engine airplane on a non-scheduled domestic passenger repositioning flight, sustained substantial damage on impact with snow covered terrain during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power from both engines on approach. The outboards tanks were the only tanks requested by the pilot to be refuled prior to departure. An on-scene examination revealed that the airplane's tanks exhibited no fuel. No pre-impact anomalies were detected with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power in both engines while on approach due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations leading to him refueling the outboard tanks only.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/26/2005
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Marshall
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56258
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 440700N
Event Location Longitude 0954920W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2035 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID MML
Elevation of weather observation facility 1180
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.68
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KMML 270235Z AUTO 26004KT 3SM OVC002 M01/M02 A2968
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20313
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 26 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 3 2006 2:46PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Minneapolis, MN, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N711HG
NTSB Number CHI06LA051
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 31-8052110
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 8993
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Darair
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1401 East Main Street
Aircraft Owner City Marshall
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56258
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Midwest Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Marshall
Operator State MN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 56258
Operator Code SOWA
Owner has at least one certificate --
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GUY
Departure City GUYMON
Departure State OK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MML
Destination City Marshall
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 5 2006 7:34AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --