# Accident 20030925031249A: Gruman HU16, Fort Pierce, FL, September 25, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 25, 2003, 13:26 local time
- Place: Fort Pierce, FL
- Airport: St Lucie County International
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.4950° N, 80.3681° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.4950&lon=-80.3681&mi=10
- Aircraft: N70258, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N70258-2004-04-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Grumman HU-16 (registry code 3950405, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-hu-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Wright R-1820 series (registry code 67020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/wright-r-1820-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUMAN HU16
- Reported engine: WRIGHT R1820*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 13,000 total, 425 in this make and model, 43 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL03FA147](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03FA147) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030925031249A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 09 AT FPR TO PRACTICE WATER WORK AT LAKE OKEECHOBEE. AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET ON DEPARTURE THE RIGHT ENGINE CHIP DETECTOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE PILOT COMPLETED A SHUT DOWN OF THE RIGHT ENGINE. ATC CLEARED THE PILOT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 14, AS HE PROCEEDED TO THE LEFT BASE ON RUNWAY 14 THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN LOSING POWER. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT WHEN HE TRIED FIRST TO TURN INTO RUNWAY 14 THEN LATER INTO RUNWAY 09, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL IN THE TURN. THE PILOT CONTINUED WESTBOUND ON THE 270-DEGREE HEADING AND MADE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. UPON LANDING THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE THAT WAS 2.5 FEET IN DIAMETER, KILLING BOTH COPILOT AND THE OBSERVER.

## 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 ATL03FA147](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03FA147), Sep 25, 2003: Grumman HU-16C (N70258), Fort Pierce, FL, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to the pilot placing the fuel selector in the off position which resulted in fuel starvation to the left engine, after the pilot intentionally shut down the right engine.

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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