20150102000709A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-34-200T · Kuttawa, KY · January 2, 2015

Date: January 2, 2015 · 17:55 local
Place: Kuttawa, KY
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N81291
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA15FA088
Reported as: Piper PA-34-200T
Reported engine: Continental TSIO-360-EB
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 4
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,300 total

N81291Registration cancelled Aug 28, 2015 · Piper PA-34-200TS/N 34-8070037 · Built 1979 Airframe modelPiper PA-34-200T Engine modelContinental TSIO-360 seriesReciprocating

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.

N81291 was on an IFR flight plan from tallassee, FL en-route to Mt. Vernon, IL. Memphis center received a distress call from N81291 advising of engine trouble and then they lost the aircraft off radar approximately 7 miles east of KY dam village airport at 1800 feet. Memphis center advised last contact with aircraft was at 17:55 CST. At 18:35CST a 911 call was received by lyon county dispatch that a 7 year old girl had come to his house stating her parents were in a plane crash.

Aircraft was located. Four fatalities. Post crash small fire.

As the FAA filed it

N81291 WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM TALLASSEE, FL EN-ROUTE TO MT. VERNON, IL. MEMPHIS CENTER RECEIVED A DISTRESS CALL FROM N81291 ADVISING OF ENGINE TROUBLE AND THEN THEY LOST THE AIRCRAFT OFF RADAR APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES EAST OF KY DAM VILLAGE AIRPORT AT 1800 FEET. MEMPHIS CENTER ADVISED LAST CONTACT WITH AIRCRAFT WAS AT 17:55 CST. AT 18:35CST A 911 CALL WAS RECEIVED BY LYON COUNTY DISPATCH THAT A 7 YEAR OLD GIRL HAD COME TO HIS HOUSE STATING HER PARENTS WERE IN A PLANE CRASH.

AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED. FOUR FATALITIES. POST CRASH SMALL FIRE.

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 ERA15FA088Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportKuttawa, KYThe pilot's failure to properly set the left engine fuel selector before takeoff and to recognize the incorrect setting during the flight, which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power on both engines.Jan 2, 2015 · Substantial damage