20051226032349A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-350 · Marshall, MN · December 26, 2005

Date: December 26, 2005 · 20:30 local
Place: Marshall, MN
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: SOWA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N711HG
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI06LA051
Reported as: Piper PA31350
Reported engine: Lycoming TIO540*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,870 total42 in this make and model170 in the last 90 days

N711HGRegistration cancelled Jun 19, 2008 · Piper PA-31-350S/N 31-8052110 · Built 1980 Airframe modelPiper PA-31-350 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Aircraft was on a part 91 repositioning flight when accident occurred. Aircraft departed guymon, OK, bound for Marshall, MN. Approximately 30 miles out of Marshall pilot reported "bingo" fuel to minneapolis center and stated he needed to get to Marshall as soon as possible. The then reported one engine out. Shortly after that he reported to center that both engines had failed and he was losing speed and altitude. He managed to restart one engine, only to have it fail again shortly after that. Pilot was unable to restart either engine at this time. Aircraft crashed in a field approximately 9 miles west of the Marshall airport.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS ON A PART 91 REPOSITIONING FLIGHT WHEN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED GUYMON, OK, BOUND FOR MARSHALL, MN. APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES OUT OF MARSHALL PILOT REPORTED "BINGO" FUEL TO MINNEAPOLIS CENTER AND STATED HE NEEDED TO GET TO MARSHALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE THEN REPORTED ONE ENGINE OUT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT HE REPORTED TO CENTER THAT BOTH ENGINES HAD FAILED AND HE WAS LOSING SPEED AND ALTITUDE. HE MANAGED TO RESTART ONE ENGINE, ONLY TO HAVE IT FAIL AGAIN SHORTLY AFTER THAT. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART EITHER ENGINE AT THIS TIME. AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 9 MILES WEST OF THE MARSHALL AIRPORT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI06LA051Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMarshall, MNA loss of engine power in both engines while on approach due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations leading to him refueling the outboard tanks only.Dec 27, 2005 · Substantial damage