# Incident 20140217002809I: Piper PA-23-250, Lovelock, NV, February 17, 2014

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 17, 2014, 16:00 local time
- Place: Lovelock, NV
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.1787° N, 118.4774° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Lovelock, NV, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1787&lon=-118.4774&mi=10
- Aircraft: N817HB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N817HB-2018-06-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-23-250 (registry code 7102308, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-23-250
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 278 total, 70 in this make and model, 24 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140217002809I

## Narrative

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

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.

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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