# Accident 20021127032899A: Piper PA34220T, Elko, NV, November 27, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 27, 2002, 10:40 local time
- Place: Elko, NV
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: IPMA
- Location: 40.8306° N, 115.7964° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8306&lon=-115.7964&mi=10
- Aircraft: N224BD (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA34220T
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX03LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA040) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021127032899A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON NOVEMBER 27, 2002, AT 1040 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-34-220T, N224BD, COLLIDED WITH GROUND OBSTACLES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON APPROACH TO THE ELKO, NEVADA, AIRPORT. THE ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY RENO FLYING SERVICE, INC., UNDER 14 CFR PART 135 AS A NON-SCHEDULED DOMESTIC CARGO FLIGHT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND ONE PILOT PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT RENO, ABOUT 0930. THE PILOT REPORTED A NEAR SIMULTANEOUS ENGINE FAILURE ON A 1/4-MILE APPROACH TO RUNWAY 5 AND LANDED SHORT IN SAGEBRUSH. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATOR PERSONNEL FAILED TO FIND FUEL IN THE 4-TANK SYSTEM. (-23) ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 5 AT ELKO AIRPORT, BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINES WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT OFF AIRPORT AS HE COULD SEE HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE RUNWAY. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL IN EITHER WING FUEL TANK. THE                                                                        FUEL TANKS WERE NOT DAMAGED IN THE LANDING.

## 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 LAX03LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA040), Nov 27, 2002: Piper PA-34-220T (N224BD), Elko, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision resulting in fuel exhaustion.

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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