# Accident 20100217027399A: Piper PA-30, Amarillo, TX, February 17, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 17, 2010, 07:08 local time
- Place: Amarillo, TX
- Airport: Tradewind
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.1107° N, 101.7407° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1107&lon=-101.7407&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8501Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8501Y-2015-05-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-30 (registry code 7103002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-320 series (registry code 41509, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,451 total, 362 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN10FA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA122) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100217027399A

## Narrative

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

ON 02/17/2010 AT 07:08 CST, N8501Y DEPARTED FROM AMARILLO, TEXAS, TRADEWIND AIRPORT (TDW) WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO (ALM).  ON CLIMBOUT THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND APPEARS TO HAVE ATTEMPTED A RETURN TO TDW.  WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT PULLED UP INTO A STEEP CLIMB, BANKED TO THE RIGHT, AND THEN DESCENDED FROM VIEW.  THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE SIDE OF A CONCRETE BUILDING, DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT.  THERE WERE TWO SOULS ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT, BOTH OF WHOM WERE FATALLY INJURED.

## 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 CEN10FA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA122), Feb 17, 2010: Piper PA-30 (N8501Y), Amarillo, TX, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to detect water contaminated fuel, which resulted in a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. Contributing to the accident were the worn and loose fuel caps, which allowed…

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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