What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft impacted the ground approximately at 1405 local EST time, 0.7 miles south of 40N (Chester county airport, PA) on Sunday March 6th, 2005, fatallly injuring both occupants and destroying the aircraft. Eyewitnesses, privacy data omitted and Lancair pilot privacy data omitted stated a twin engine aircraft approaching rwy 29 appeared to be approximately 200' AGL and within 1/8 mile of the approach end of the runway. They observed the aircraft go into a steep left bank. The aircraft appeared to regain close to level flight while still at or below 200' AGL. At that time they lost sight of the aircraft as it went behind a row of trees. The engine(s) could clearly be heard for about 20 to 30 secs. The engine(s) were loud enough to hear from their position on the airport which was about 2500' from the approach end of rwy 29. They then heard the aircraft impact the terrain and went into the FBO office and told the receptionist to call 911 and report an aircraft down. They observed no fire or smoke after impact. Other witnesses suport the above statement of hearing engine(s) running and controlled flight. (-23 amendment) eyewitnesses stated aircraft approached rwy 29 appeared to be approximately 200' AGL & within 1/8 mile of the rwy, observed the aircraft go into a steep left bank, appeared to regain close to level flight while still at or below 200' AGL, lost sight of the aircraft as it went behind a row of trees, engine(s) could be heard for about 20/30 secs before impact, no fire/smoke observed after impact. Other witnesses support the above statement of hearing engine(s) running and controlled flight from a low flying aircraft just prior to impact. No emergency was declared. PIC had only 2 hours of flight time during the last 12 months in this make and model aircraft. Pilot had a medical waiver. Post crash investigation revealed that the left wing outboard fuel tank had no fuel in it and the left engine fuel selector was found in the off position. Left engine propeller impact damage consistent with an inoperable engine with little or no propeller rotation. Left engine propeller was not feathered. Examination of the lt eng & lt eng fuel system indicated that all components were operational no fuel was in the engine fuel line or components. At impact the lt eng tachometer indicated approximately 350 RPM, the rt eng tach indicated 2750 RPM.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY AT 1405 LOCAL EST TIME, 0.7 MILES SOUTH OF 40N (CHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT, PA) ON SUNDAY MARCH 6TH, 2005, FATALLLY INJURING BOTH OCCUPANTS AND DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT. EYEWITNESSES, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND LANCAIR PILOT ^PRIVACY DAT^ STATED A TWIN ENGINE AIRCRAFT APPROACHING RWY 29 APPEARED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 200' AGL AND WITHIN 1/8 MILE OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THEY OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT GO INTO A STEEP LEFT BANK. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO REGAIN CLOSE TO LEVEL FLIGHT WHILE STILL AT OR BELOW 200' AGL. AT THAT TIME THEY LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AS IT WENT BEHIND A ROW OF TREES. THE ENGINE(S) COULD CLEARLY BE HEARD FOR ABOUT 20 TO 30 SECS. THE ENGINE(S) WERE LOUD ENOUGH TO HEAR FROM THEIR POSITION ON THE AIRPORT WHICH WAS ABOUT 2500' FROM THE APPROACH END OF RWY 29. THEY THEN HEARD THE AIRCRAFT IMPACT THE TERRAIN AND WENT INTO THE FBO OFFICE AND TOLD THE RECEPTIONIST TO CALL 911 AND REPORT AN AIRCRAFT DOWN. THEY OBSERVED NO FIRE OR SMOKE AFTER IMPACT. OTHER WITNESSES SUPORT THE ABOVE STATEMENT OF HEARING ENGINE(S) RUNNING AND CONTROLLED FLIGHT. (-23 AMENDMENT) EYEWITNESSES STATED AIRCRAFT APPROACHED RWY 29 APPEARED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 200' AGL & WITHIN 1/8 MILE OF THE RWY, OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT GO INTO A STEEP LEFT BANK, APPEARED TO REGAIN CLOSE TO LEVEL FLIGHT WHILE STILL AT OR BELOW 200' AGL, LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AS IT WENT BEHIND A ROW OF TREES, ENGINE(S) COULD BE HEARD FOR ABOUT 20/30 SECS BEFORE IMPACT, NO FIRE/SMOKE OBSERVED AFTER IMPACT. OTHER WITNESSES SUPPORT THE ABOVE STATEMENT OF HEARING ENGINE(S) RUNNING AND CONTROLLED FLIGHT FROM A LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. NO EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED. PIC HAD ONLY 2 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME DURING THE LAST 12 MONTHS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AIRCRAFT. PILOT HAD A MEDICAL WAIVER. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WING OUTBOARD FUEL TANK HAD NO FUEL IN IT AND THE LEFT ENGINE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION. LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER IMPACT DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH AN INOPERABLE ENGINE WITH LITTLE OR NO PROPELLER ROTATION. LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER WAS NOT FEATHERED. EXAMINATION OF THE LT ENG & LT ENG FUEL SYSTEM INDICATED THAT ALL COMPONENTS WERE OPERATIONAL NO FUEL WAS IN THE ENGINE FUEL LINE OR COMPONENTS. AT IMPACT THE LT ENG TACHOMETER INDICATED APPROXIMATELY 350 RPM, THE RT ENG TACH INDICATED 2750 RPM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2343Z · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.