20151026018159A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-350 · Everglades, FL · October 26, 2015

Date: October 26, 2015 · 11:00 local
Place: Everglades, FL
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N55GK
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA16LA026
Reported as: Piper PA-31-350
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor

N55GKRegistration cancelled Feb 9, 2016 · Piper PA-31-350S/N 31-7852013 Airframe modelPiper PA-31-350 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.

Aircraft during descent had engine problems and crash landed on embankedment destroying aircraft. Right engine emergency fuel shut off appeared to be deployed in the ?off? Position. Right engine fuel selector was found to be selected to the inboard ?main? Position. Left engine fuel selector, was found to be in the outboard ?auxiliary? Position. Fuel cross feed valve was found to be in the ?off? Position. Left engine emergency fuel shut off was in the stowed position.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DURING DESCENT HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS AND CRASH LANDED ON EMBANKEDMENT DESTROYING AIRCRAFT.RIGHT ENGINE EMERGENCY FUEL SHUT OFF APPEARED TO BE DEPLOYED IN THE ?OFF? POSITION. RIGHT ENGINE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND TO BE SELECTED TO THE INBOARD ?MAIN? POSITION. LEFT ENGINE FUEL SELECTOR, WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE OUTBOARD ?AUXILIARY? POSITION. FUEL CROSS FEED VALVE WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE ?OFF? POSITION. LEFT ENGINE EMERGENCY FUEL SHUT OFF WAS IN THE STOWED POSITION.

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 ERA16LA026Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportWeston, FLThe pilot's feathering of the incorrect propeller following a total loss of right engine power due to fuel starvation, which resulted from maintenance personnel’s failure to reinstall the flapper valve in the right main fuel tank. Contributing to the accident…Oct 26, 2015 · Substantial damage