20160814013419A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-325 · Northport, AL · August 14, 2016

Date: August 14, 2016 · 11:20 local
Place: Northport, AL
Airport: Tuscaloosa Regional
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N447SA
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA16FA289
Reported as: Piper PA-31-325
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 6
Fatal injuries: 6
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 699 total48 in this make and model48 in the last 90 days

N447SARegistration cancelled Nov 4, 2019 · Piper PA-31-325S/N 318312016 · Built 1984 Airframe modelPiper PA-31-325 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.

On August 14, 2016, approximately 1120 (CST), N447SA Piper PA-31-325, reported fuel pump issues during flight resulting in airplane impacting trees and terrain near Tuscaloosa Regional Airport (tcl). Pilot filed an instrument flight plan with an intended destination, to oxford university airport (uox), oxford, Mississippi; pilot reported a fuel pump failure and was diverted by (ATC),to the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport (tcl). Approximately 10 miles from (tcl), the pilot reported a second fuel pump failure. Airplane crashed in a public park impacting several trees and terrain. Forward section of airplane was destroyed by post-impact fire and aft-section of airplane sustained substaintial damage from several trees. Pilot and five passengers were fatally injured.

As the FAA filed it

ON AUGUST 14, 2016, APPROXIMATELY 1120 (CST), N447SA PIPER PA-31-325, REPORTED FUEL PUMP ISSUES DURING FLIGHT RESULTING IN AIRPLANE IMPACTING TREES AND TERRAIN NEAR TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL AIRPORT (TCL). PILOT FILED AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION, TO OXFORD UNIVERSITY AIRPORT (UOX), OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI; PILOT REPORTED A FUEL PUMP FAILURE AND WAS DIVERTED BY (ATC),TO THE TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL AIRPORT (TCL). APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES FROM (TCL), THE PILOT REPORTED A SECOND FUEL PUMP FAILURE. AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A PUBLIC PARK IMPACTING SEVERAL TREES AND TERRAIN. FORWARD SECTION OF AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY POST-IMPACT FIRE AND AFT-SECTION OF AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTAINTIAL DAMAGE FROM SEVERAL TREES. PILOT AND FIVE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED.

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 ERA16FA289Accident · 6 fatalField investigationFinal reportNorthport, ALA total loss of power in both engines due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's fuel mismanagement, and his subsequent failure to follow the emergency checklist. Contributing to the pilot's failure to follow the emergency checklist was his lack of…Aug 14, 2016 · Substantial damage