# Accident 19990127036439A: Piper PA34200T, Wharton, TX, January 27, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 27, 1999, 21:02 local time
- Place: Wharton, TX
- Airport: Wharton Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.3100° N, 96.0903° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3100&lon=-96.0903&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8729E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8729E-2013-11-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-34-200T (registry code 7103406, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-360 series (registry code 17019, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA34200T
- Reported engine: CONT TSIO360E
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,485 total, 423 in this make and model, 74 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA072) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990127036439A

## Narrative

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

(.4) THE COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS TO THE RIGHT ENGINE THAT `COULD BE...FUEL STARVATION' DURING AN IFR X-COUNTRY FLIGHT. DURING THE VISUAL APPROACH TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP SWITCH WAS FOUND ON HI, THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR OFF, & THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR ON X-FEED. FLAPS & LANDING GEAR WERE EXTENDED. THE RIGHT PROPELLER WAS NOT FEATHERED. THE CG WAS ESTIMATED AT 07.09 INCHES (AFT LIMIT 94.6 INCHES). THE PILOT REPORTED THE RIGHT ENGINE EXPERIENCED A `MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP AND/OR ANEROID' FAILURE. THE RIGHT AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO PUMP FLUID. DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE DRIVEN (MECHANCIAL) PUMP PRECLUDED TESTING. THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP FAILURE CHECKLIST STATES THAT THE LACK OF FUEL FLOW INDICATION WHILE ON THE HI AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP POSITION COULD INDICATE FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE SINGLE-ENGINE LANDING CHECKLIST CALLS FOR LANDING GEAR & FLAP EXTENSION WHEN CERTAIN OF MAKING THE AIRPORT. THE CHECKLIST ALSO CALLS FOR FEATHERING THE PROPELLER OF THE INOPERATIVE ENGINE.                                                                                                                 (-23)AIRPLANE DEPARTED BROWNSVILLE, TX (BRO) UNDER IFR AT 1942 (L). DURING APPROACH TO WHARTON AIRPORT (SR5) IN IMC, EXPERIENCED RIGHT ENGINE FAILURE.  AIRPLANE HIT TREES 1 NM NORTH OF WHARTON AIRPORT.  LEFT WING AND RIGHT ENGINE SEPARATED UPON GROUND/TREE IMPACT. NO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN EITHER AIRCRAFT TANK DURING POST CRASH INVESTIGATION. FIRE SCORCHED AFT SECTION OF LEFT ENGINE AND INBOARD WING AREA.  ALL 7 OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED.

## 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 FTW99LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA072), Jan 28, 1999: Piper PA-34-200T (N8729E), Wharton, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to comply with the manufacturer's single engine landing checklist which resulted in the aircraft landing short of the runway.

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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