HURRICANE, UT, USA
N4480P
PIPER PA-23-160
AFTER TOPPING OFF WITH 72 GALLONS OF FUEL THE PILOT FLEW 1.25 HOURS AND THEN MADE AN INTERMEDIATE STOP DURING WHICH NO FUEL WAS ACQUIRED. UPON DEPARTURE AT 1150 HOURS, THE FUEL GAGES READ SLIGHTLY MORE THAN HALF. DURING THE DESCENT TO HIS FINAL DESTINATION, POWER WAS LOST ON THE LEFT ENGINE. THE PILOT WAS REQUIRED TO HAND PUMP THE GEAR AND FLAPS DOWN DURING WHICH HE 'USED UP MOST OF THE RUNWAY' AND EXECUTED A SINGLE ENGINE GO- AROUND. HE THEN MANUALLY BEGAN HAND PUMPING THE GEAR AND FLAPS UP BUT WAS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH A POSITIVE CLIMB, AND EXECUTED AN INTENTIONAL FORCED LANDING TO AVOID POWER LINES. DURING THE FORCED LANDING (AT 1335 HOURS) THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SEVERAL FENCE POSTS. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY A MECHANIC REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS AND NO ODOR OF FUEL IN OR AROUND THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT IT HAD BEEN A WHILE SINCE HE HAD FLOWN THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.
On April 9, 1994, approximately 1335 hours mountain daylight time (MDT), a Piper PA-23-160, registered to Barry T. Christensen, and being operated/flown by Keith A. Stout, a commercially certificated instrument rated pilot, was substantially damaged, when the aircraft collided with several fence posts during a forced landing following a power loss near Hurricane, Utah. The pilot was uninjured. Variable meteorological conditions existed and an IFR flight plan, which had been cancelled to VFR, was in effect. The flight, which was personal in nature, was to have been operated in accordance with 14CFR91 and originated from Salt Lake City Airport #2 with an intermediate stop at Cedar City earlier in the morning. The pilot reported that he departed Salt Lake City Airport #2 with 72 gallons of fuel at 1015 hours and arrived at Cedar City at 1130 hours. After a short turn around during which no fuel was acquired the pilot departed Cedar City at 1150 hours destined for the Hurricane airport 28 nautical miles south. He reported that the fuel gauges "showed just a bit over 1/2 tanks." After departing Cedar City the pilot encountered IFR weather, attempted to acquire an IFR clearance from Los Angeles Center, and ultimately air filed and received an IFR clearance through the Cedar City Flight Service Station. He was cleared to St. George and, approaching that facility, broke out and cancelled his IFR clearance, proceeding direct to Hurricane. During the descent to Hurricane he experienced a loss of power in the left engine, which he subsequently feathered. This necessitated manually pumping the gear and flaps down. The pilot reported however, that "by the time I had accomplished this I had used up most of the runway and I realized that I would not be able to land." The pilot then executed a single engine go-around and began manually pumping the gear and flaps back up. Unable to achieve a positive climb, and approaching power lines, the pilot intentionally executed a forced landing in a field. Mr. Ron Santosuosso, an aircraft mechanic, examined the aircraft the morning following the accident and reported that after a visual inspection he found both main and aux tanks empty with no odor of fuel in or around the aircraft (refer to attached report). The pilot reported a total of 132 hours in the PA-23-160 aircraft but stated that it had been "a while since I had flown one."
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO REFUEL AND EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED DURING THE APPROACH. FACTOR(S) WERE: FENCEPOST(S) AND THE LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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