# Accident 20120729017019A: Piper PA-30, Bragg City, MO, July 29, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 29, 2012, 11:25 local time
- Place: Bragg City, MO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.2669° N, 89.9100° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2669&lon=-89.9100&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8121Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8121Y-2015-04-30) (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
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,045 total, 1,390 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN12LA512](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA512) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120729017019A

## Narrative

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

ON SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2012, N8121Y, A PIPER PA-30, SERIAL NUMBER, 30-1231 WAS EN ROUTE FROM HUNTINGTON TRI-STATE AIRPORT (KHTS) TO GRAND PRAIRIE MUNICIPAL (KGPM). THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRUISED AT 4500 FEET BUT HAD BEGUN A DECENT IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING. APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES OUT OF KENNETT MEMORIAL AIRPORT (KTKX), THE PILOT FELT THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY YAW TO THE RIGHT. THE RIGHT ENGINE HAD STOPPED RUNNING. THE PILOT STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE RIGHT ENGINE TWICE, THE FIRST ATTEMPT RESULTING IN THE ENGINE RUNNING 20-30 SECONDS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THEN FEATHERED THE RIGHT ENGINE BUT WAS STILL UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND WAS DESCENDING VERY SLOWLY.  PILOT STATED THAT HE OBSERVED A TREE LINE BETWEEN HIS PRESENT POSITION AND THE AIRPORT AND DECIDED TO ATTEMPT A SECOND RESTART. ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART HOWEVER THE PROPELLER DID UN-FEATHER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT GEAR UP, FLAPS UP IN A COTTON FIELD NEAR BRAGG CITY, MO WITH APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET GROUND SCAR WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. DURING THE ACCIDENT SCENE INVESTIGATION THE LEFT AND RIGHT ENGINE TWO BLADED PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT AFT. THE LEFT AND RIGHT ENGINE PROPELLERS WERE BOTH FOUND IN THE NOT FEATHERED POSITION. THE LEFT AND RIGHT PROPELLER LEVERS WERE IN THE FULL FORWARD POSITION. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LOWER FUSELAGE FROM AFT OF THE NOSE CONE TO THE AREA AFT OF THE WINGS AND FLAPS. DURING INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM, THE FUEL FLOW OUT SIDE OF THE FUEL FLOW TRANSDUCER MOUNTED ON THE ENGINE FIREWALL HAS ONE FLEXIBLE FUEL HOSE THAT GOES FORWARD TO AN ENGINE COOLING BAFFLING INTO A FITTING. OUT OF THAT FITTING ANOTHER FUEL HOSE GOES FORWARD AND CONNECTS TO THE FUEL FLOW DIVIDER ON THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. THIS HOSE WAS FOUND LESS THAN FINGER TIGHT. WHEN THE RIGHT ENGINE AIRFRAME FUEL BOOST PUMP WAS TURNED ON FUEL WAS OBSERVED LEAKING OUT OF THIS HOSE/FITTING ASSEMBLY AT THE ENGINE COOLING BAFFLING LOCATION. THERE WAS ANOTHER FITTING THAT THREADS INTO THE FUEL METERING SERVO ON THE RIGHT ENGINE THAT WAS SAFETIED BUT ALSO LOOSE. NO FUEL WAS OBSERVED LEAKING FROM THIS FITTING. NO FUEL WAS OBSERVED IN THE LEFT AUXILIARY FUEL TANK, THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK HAD 3 INCHES OF FUEL SHOWING, THE RIGHT AUXILIARY FUEL TANK HAD 1 INCH OF FUEL SHOWING AND THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK HAD 3 INCHES OF FUEL SHOWING. ALL AILERON, ELEVATOR, AND RUDDER CONTROL SYSTEMS, TO INCLUDE TRIM SYSTEMS WERE CHECKED FOR CONTINUITY AND FOUND TO INDICATE PROPER FUNCTIONALITY.

## 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 CEN12LA512](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA512), Jul 29, 2012: Piper PA-30 (N8121Y), Bragg City, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to properly tighten the b-nut from the engine-driven fuel pump to the fuel-metering unit during maintenance, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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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