# Accident 19990703008039A: Piper PA31350, Garden City, ND, July 3, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 3, 1999, 12:05 local time
- Place: Garden City, ND
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: GAJA
- Location: 44.0799° N, 115.8494° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.0799&lon=-115.8494&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3528Y (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA31350
- Reported engine: LYC TIO540*
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,050 total, 35 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA99LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA100) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990703008039A

## Narrative

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

SALMON AIR AIR TAXI LANDED IN A MOUNTAIN MEADOW FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, STRUCK A BERM, AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, THE ACFT HAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED TO THE PILOT AND 7 PAX, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE CONFIGURATION, THE LOW FUEL PRESSURE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE.  THE PILOT SELECTED CROSS-FEED AND THE ENGINE FUNCTIONED NORMALLY .  THREE TO FOUR MINUTES AFTER SELECTING CROSS-FEED, THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE AGAIN.  WITH THE RIGHT ENGINE STILL OPERATING, THE PILOT SECURED THE LEFT ENGINE AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD.  DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT'S FUSELAGE.  AN FAA INSPECTOR INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL TANKS.  HE ALSO STATED THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS NOT BREACHED AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A PREEXISTING FUEL LEAK.  IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES                                                                        WITH THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (-23)ENROUTE, SALMON, IDAHO, TO BOISE, IDAHO, LEFT ENGINE SURGED, PILOT SWITCHED TO OUTBOARD TANK, ENGINE TO SURGE, LOW FUEL LIGHTS CAME ON.  PILOT SWITCHED LEFT ENGINE TO RIGHT MAIN TANK AND BOTH ENGINES BEGAN TO SURGE AND ASSOCIATED FUEL LIGHTS CAME ON.  PILOT SWITCHED LEFT ENGINE BACK TO LEFT SIDE MAIN TANK AND LEFT ENGINE DIED.  PILOT FEATHERED LEFT ENGINE AND WITH RIGHT ENGINE SURGING AND LOW FUEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, HE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A MOUNTAIN NEADOW.  AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS ROLLING TO A STOP IN THE MEADOW, THE NOSE WHEEL STRUCK A BERM AND COLLAPSED.  THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED TO A STOP ON ITS NOSE.  NO FUEL COULD BE FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT IN ANY TANK.

## 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 SEA99LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA100), Jul 3, 1999: Piper PA-31-350 (N3528Y), Garden Valley, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: Loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion because the pilot failed to refuel the airplane. A ditch in the landing area was a contributing factor in the accident.

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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