20140217002809I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-23-250 · Lovelock, NV · February 17, 2014

Date: February 17, 2014 · 16:00 local
Place: Lovelock, NV
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N817HB
Reported as: Piper PA-23-250
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 278 total70 in this make and model24 in the last 90 days

N817HBRegistration cancelled Jun 26, 2018 · Piper PA-23-250S/N 27-7954033 Airframe modelPiper PA-23-250 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.

The pilot declared an emergency on 121.5 due to reported dual engine failure prior to landing at a dirt road 4.3 miles southeast of lol at approx. 1600 PST. No injuries. No damage. The pilot attempted to takeoff on the dirt road and struck the propellers.

In an interview with the pilot he stated that when he noticed the RPM increase and power decreased, he made changes to the fuel selector and no change in engine RPM?s. the pilot stated to the reporting inspector that he moved the fuel levers several times and appeared to be confused as to what position the fuel selectors were in during in flight troubleshooting.

I inspected the aircraft and found damage to the left engine propeller tips. The right engine had one propeller blade bent back at a 45 degrees angle and the other blade had tip damage. The outboard fuel tank gauges read empty. The left inboard tank gauge read ¾ full. The right inboard tank gauge read ½ full.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY ON 121.5 DUE TO REPORTED DUAL ENGINE FAILURE PRIOR TO LANDING AT A DIRT ROAD 4.3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LOL AT APPROX. 1600 PST. NO INJURIES. NO DAMAGE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF ON THE DIRT ROAD AND STRUCK THE PROPELLERS.

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT HE STATED THAT WHEN HE NOTICED THE RPM INCREASE AND POWER DECREASED, HE MADE CHANGES TO THE FUEL SELECTOR AND NO CHANGE IN ENGINE RPM?S. THE PILOT STATED TO THE REPORTING INSPECTOR THAT HE MOVED THE FUEL LEVERS SEVERAL TIMES AND APPEARED TO BE CONFUSED AS TO WHAT POSITION THE FUEL SELECTORS WERE IN DURING IN FLIGHT TROUBLESHOOTING.

I INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND FOUND DAMAGE TO THE LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER TIPS. THE RIGHT ENGINE HAD ONE PROPELLER BLADE BENT BACK AT A 45 DEGREES ANGLE AND THE OTHER BLADE HAD TIP DAMAGE. THE OUTBOARD FUEL TANK GAUGES READ EMPTY. THE LEFT INBOARD TANK GAUGE READ ¾ FULL. THE RIGHT INBOARD TANK GAUGE READ ½ FULL.