BROWNSVILLE, TX, USA
N50WT
PIPER PA-31-350
DURING AN INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE PRIVATE PILOT, CERTIFICATED SINGLE ENGINE LAND, EXPERIENCED A DUAL ENGINE POWER LOSS AS HE WAS BEING VECTORED TO THE BROWNSVILLE AIRPORT. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR WHO FOUND THAT THERE WAS FUEL IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION. THE PILOT HAD REPORTED, PRIOR TO LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, THAT HE HAD LOW FUEL INDICATIONS IN THE RIGHT TANK AND THAT HE NEEDED A VECTOR TO BROWNSVILLE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED IN ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE AND WINGS, APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
On January 9, 1995, at 1622 central standard time, a Piper PA-31- 350, N50WT, was destroyed during a forced landing near Brownsville, Texas. The airplane was being flown by a private pilot, who was on an international personal cross country flight. A VFR flight plan was in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot and one passenger received minor injuries, while the remaining passenger was not injured. According to the flight plan information, the airplane was en route from Cancun, Mexico, to El Paso, Texas. The pilot contacted Corpus Christi, Texas, approach control, while 50 miles east of Brownsville, and stated that he had "low fuel status in the right tank, but thought he had 3 hours of fuel remaining." He then requested and was given a vector to runway 13R at the Brownsville airport. The pilot subsequently reported that he had lost power in both engines. The airplane landed about 1/2 mile short of the airport in unsuitable terrain reulting damage to the fuselage and wings. Initial examination of the wreckage, by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, revealed that there was fuel on board the airplane, in the left tank, and the fuel selector was in the right tank position. A review of the pilot records by the FAA revealed that the pilot was certificated for single engine operations, did not hold an instrument certificate, and had accumulated a total of 87 hours of flight time. Repeated attempts to have the pilot or operator submit a completed NTSB Form 6120.1/2 (Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report) were not successful.
THE FUEL STARVATION LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S QUALIFICATION AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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