19981008028349A

Check hauler was clered for visual approach when it crashed under unknown circumstances.(.19) on October 8, 1998, about 0255 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-31-350, N3543A, operated by castle aviation was destroyed during a forced landing, near Ravenna, Ohio. The certified commercial pilot was not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the positioning flight, which had departed from detroit, Michigan. The flight was operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan under 14 CFR part 91. According to an inspector from the federal aviation administration (FAA), the flight had originated earlier in the evening from Portage County Airport, Ravenna, with full fuel tanks (182 gallons of useable fuel). The pilot operated the airplane on a series of positioning flights under 14 CFR part 91, and when cargo was carried, the flights were operated under 14 CFR part 135. At the completion of the last cargo flight, the pilot was asked by company personnel if he had sufficient fuel for the return flight to Ravenna, and replied that he did. En route to Portage County Airport, the pilot used the remaining fuel in the auxillary tanks and then switched to the main tanks. While on a descent, about 2,600 feet mean sea level (MSL), and maneuvering for a visual approach, the engines started surging and subsequently lost power. The pilot then performed a forced landing in a wooded area about 5 miles east of the airport. Post accident examination of the airplane by FAA inspectors revealed that all fuel tanks were empty, and the airplane had flown 4.3 hours since being refueled. During that time, the pilot performed six takeoffs, two approaches with higher than normal speeds at the request of approach control, one missed aproach to a second ILS approach. The pilot also incurred a 20 minute ground delay with both engines operating prior to his final departure. During an interview, the pilot told the FAA inspectors that on the second leg of the flight, while on final approach and while being vectored for the ILS a second time, noticed that a circuit breaker had popped, and reset it. The pilot also reported that the circuit breaker would not stay reset as long as the landing gear was retracted. However, when the landing gear was extended, the circuit breaker would stay reset. The pilot continued to operate the airplane in this condition on four additional flights, of which the last one terminated in the accident. The FAA inspectors also reported that the circuit breaker that would pop when the landing gear was retracted, controlled the landing gear lights, the oil pressure indications for both engine, and both fuel quantity gauges. The pilot also told the FAA inspectors that the fuel gauges indicated between 1/4 and 1/2 on the main fuel tanks prior to departure from detroit. Post accident examination by FAA inspectors revealed that with no electrical power on the fuel quantity measuring system, the left fuel tank gauge read 1/4 and the right fuel tank gauge read 1/3. The pilot reported that his total time was about 2,000 hours, with 80 hours in the Piper PA-31-350. (.4) the pilot departed on a night multiple-leg flight series with full tanks. On approach for the second landing, the green landing gear light extinguished. The pilot discovered that if the landing gear was extended the circuit breaker would stay in and if the landing gear was retracted the circuit breaker would pop. The circuit breaker controlled the landing gear lights, the engine oil pressure, and both fuel quantity gauges. The pilot continued on four additional flights in that condition. The fourth flight terminated 5 miles from the runway with a double power loss. Examination revealed the fuel tanks were empty. The pilot had flown the airplane 4.3 hours including 6 takeoffs, one missed approach, and a 20 minute ground run prior to departure with both engines running on the final flight.