# Accident 19970427006529A: Piper PA60601P, Klammath Falls, OR, April 27, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 27, 1997, 12:45 local time
- Place: Klammath Falls, OR
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.3399° N, 121.5894° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3399&lon=-121.5894&mi=10
- Aircraft: N30LL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N30LL-2000-02-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Smith AEROSTAR 601P (registry code 8360608, https://openairdocs.org/model/smith-aerostar-601p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA60601P
- Reported engine: LYC IO540S1A5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 6,550 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA97FA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97FA094) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970427006529A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT DISORIENTED, AIRCRAFT HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS. LOST BOTH ENGINE. CRASHED.(.4)ABOUT THREE HOURS AND TWENTY MINUTES AFTER DEPARTING BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON, FOR MIDLAND, TEXAS, THE PILOT CONTACTED KLAMATH FALLS (OREGON) TOWER AND TOLD THE CONTROLLER OF HIS INTENTION TO LAND. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER, WHILE ABOUT 30 MILES NORTH OF KLAMATH FALLS, THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS LOW ON FUEL AND WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND THE CITY.  THE TOWER RESPONDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS THAT WOULD TAKE THE PILOT SOUTH TO THE AIRPORT.  BUT BECAUSE THE PILOT SEEMED NOT TO BE FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS, BUT WAS INSTEAD CONTINUING TO THE WEST, HE WAS SWITCHED TO SEATTLE CENTER.  CENTER PROVIDED THE PILOT WITH A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING DIRECT TO KLAMATH FALLS, BUT LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOST.  OTHER PILOTS OVERHEARD THE PILOT TRANSMIT THAT HE HAD LOST POWER IN ONE ENGINE, AND LATER STATE THAT HE HAD LOST POWER IN BOTH.  SOON THEREAFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN TO DESCEND TO ABOUT 200 TO 300 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE OF LAKE OF THE WOODS.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN TO SLOW AND ITS NOSE BEGAN TO RISE.  AS IT WAS SLOWING, ONE OF THE ENGINES SURGED BACK TO A HIGH POWER SETTING, AND THE A IRCRAFT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY ROLLED QUICKLY TO THE SIDE AND DOVE NEARLY STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE LAKE. DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRFRAME, THE THROTTLE FOR THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS FOUND RETARDED TO IDLE, BUT THE THROTTLE FOR THE LEFT ENGINE WAS FOUND IN THE FULL-FORWARD (MAXIMUM POWER) POSITION.  A REVIEW OF THE AEROSTAR OWNER'S MANUAL REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE FAILURE/RESTART CHECKLIST CALLED FOR THE THROTTLE FOR A FAILED ENGINE (BOTH ENGINES IN THIS CASE) TO BE RETARDED TO THE 'CRACKED 1/2 INCH OPEN' POSITION.  TOXICOLOGICAL RESULTS INDICATE THE PRESENCE IN THE PILOT'S BLOOD OF CHLORDIAZEPOXIDE (LIBRIUM) IS A TRANQUILIZER OFTEN USED TO TREAT ANXIETY AND TENSION.  AT SUFFICIENT LEVELS IT CAN HAVE SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE EFFECTS ON JUDGEMENT, ALERTNESS, AND PERFORMANCE.  IT IS KNOWN TO CAUSE DROWSINESS, MENTAL DULLNESS, AND EUPHORIA.  THE RESULTS ALSO INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF DIPHENYDRAMINE IN TH EPILOT'S BLOOD.  DIPHENHYDRAMINE IS A SEDATING ANTIHISTAMINE, AND IN SUFFICIENT QUANTITIES IS KNOW TO PRODUCE DROWSINESS, IMPAIRED CORRDINATION, BLURRED VISION, AND REDUCED MENTAL ALERTNESS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA97FA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97FA094), Apr 27, 1997: Smith, Ted Aerostar Aerostar 601P (N30LL), Klammath Falls, OR, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to set the throttle of his second failed engine to 'Cracked-1/2-Open' as called for in the Engine Failure/Restart checklist, followed by a high-power engine surge. Factors include…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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