Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Baltic, Ohio 43804
Thursday, June 28, 2012 9:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Shortly after takeoff, the left engine lost power so the pilot diverted to an alternate airport for landing. After the left engine was secured, the airplane was not maintaining altitude so the pilot selected an off-airport site short of the alternate airport to land. While approaching the off-airport site, the right engine lost power, and the airplane was substantially damaged during the forced landing. An examination of the fuel system revealed an extensive amount of corrosion consistent with the continued presence of water over an extended period. Both engine carburetor screens were occluded with particle contaminants, which likely resulted in the loss of power in both engines. The pilot reported that before the flight, he conducted a normal preflight inspection, had 54 gallons of fuel added to both main fuel tanks, and sumped one fuel sump cup full of fuel out of each main tank. Neither the previous owner nor the accident pilot was aware of an airworthiness directive (AD) requiring a special fuel sumping procedure before every flight. The AD also specifies that the procedure should be incorporated into the owner handbook and pilot’s operating manual. The required documentation advising pilots of this preflight procedure was not in the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of particulate contaminant on the carburetor screens.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/28/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 920
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Baltic
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43804
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 6
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 856 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID KBJJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1136
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.89
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KBJJ 281256Z AUTO 22006KT 10SM CLR 22/13 A29
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) 30534
NTSB Notification Source FAA AGL ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 24 2012 1:51PM
User who most recently changed record coln
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3170P
NTSB Number CEN12LA401
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 23-1105
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 5042
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Mike Mallory
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City South Charleston
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 25303
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Floyd Pierson
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Milton
Operator State WV
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 25545
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 No
Departure Airport Code KCAK
Departure City Akron
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code WV12
Destination City SouthCharleston
Destination State WV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 24 2012 1:51PM
User who most recently changed record coln
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --