# Accident 20160122006369A: Piper PA-31P, Denton, TX, January 22, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 22, 2016, 16:30 local time
- Place: Denton, TX
- Airport: Denton Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.2228° N, 97.3469° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2228&lon=-97.3469&mi=10
- Aircraft: N997DN, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N997DN-2018-06-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31P (registry code 7103120, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TIGO-541SER (registry code 41539, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tigo-541ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31P
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 13,300 total, 127 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN16LA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA102) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160122006369A

## Narrative

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

THE VFR MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, PRIOR TO THE INSPECTION THE AIRCRAFT WAS PURCHASED FROM CANADA.  THE AIRMAN REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT FLY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME IN CANADA PRIOR TO PURCHASE.

ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE AIRMAN FOUND TWO DISCREPANCIES DURING ENGINE RUN-UP.  THE CABIN PRESSURIZATION DOOR SEAL WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE FUEL BOOST PUMPS CAUSED THE ENGINE TO RUN ROUGH WHEN IN THE ON POSITION.  THE AIRMAN CHOSE TO ?PULL? THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS ON BOTH FUEL BOOST PUMPS TO TURN THEM OFF.  DEPARTING DENTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KDTO) TO BISHOP AIRPORT (76T) AT A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 2000 FEET THE AIRMAN DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY ABNORMALITIES ALONG THE 13 NM FLIGHT.  THE AIRMAN CHOSE 76T TO PRACTICE A LOW APPROACH AND EXERCISE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.  AS THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP DURING THE GO-AROUND THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A ?POPPING? SOUND.  WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LEVELED OFF THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO WORK NORMALLY.  THE AIRMAN DEPARTED 76T DIRECT TO KDTO.  APPROXIMATELY 6 NM FROM KDTO THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE ?POPPING? SOUNDS.  THE AIRMAN SET MIXTURES, PROPS AND THROTTLES TO THE FULL FORWARD POSITION, VERIFIED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SET TO THE INBOARD TANKS AND PUSHED IN THE FUEL BOOST PUMP CIRCUIT BREAKERS.  A SHORT TIME LATER THE LEFT ENGINE QUIT ABRUPTLY.  THE AIRMAN SELECTED TO LAND IN THE DIRECTION OF THE FLIGHT PATH RATHER THAN INTO THE RELATIVE WIND.  THE AIRMAN SELECTED A FIELD WITH HIGH TENSION POWER LINES DURING THE EMERGENCY.  PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN THE LANDING GEAR WAS SELECTED DOWN.  THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND, HIT TWO FENCES AND CAME TO A STOP UNDER A LARGE HIGH POWER TENSION LINE.

INSPECTION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED IMPACT DAMAGE TO ENGINE NACELLES, PROPELLERS, AND LANDING GEAR.  THE PROPELLERS WERE BENT IN THE REARWARD DIRECTION, THE NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR HAD SEPARATED ON IMPACT WHILE THE LEFT MAIN REMAINED BENT UNDER THE AIRCRAFT.  THE SMELL OF FUEL WAS AROUND THE AIRCRAFT HOWEVER THE LEVEL OF FUEL COULD NOT BE DETERMINED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.

## 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 CEN16LA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA102), Jan 22, 2016: Piper PA31 (N997DN), Denton, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have…

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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