# Accident 20200912012809A: Piper PA-30, Billings, MT, September 12, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 12, 2020, 13:46 local time
- Place: Billings, MT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.6493° N, 108.3808° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.6493&lon=-108.3808&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7602Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7602Y-2021-10-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-30 (registry code 7103002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-320 series (registry code 41509, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR20LA308](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA308) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200912012809A

## Narrative

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

INBOUND TO BIL, PILOT REPORTED ONE ENGINE OPERATION.  FOLLOWING CLEARANCE TO LAND AND ON SHORT FINAL THE PILOT DECLARED EMERGENCY WITH LOSS OF SECOND ENGINE. PILOT SUSTAINED HEAD TRAUMA WHICH CAUSED AMNESIA.  ATC RECORDINGS PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING DETAILS.

PILOT INITIAL CONTACT TO ATC TO REQUESTED LANDING ON RNWY 28 AND NOTIFIED OF ONE ENGINE OUT.  PILOT DID NOT DECLARE EMERGENCY AND DID NOT GIVE ANY INDICATION THE AIRCRAFT'S OPERATIONAL CONDITION WAS DEGRADING.  TWO MINUTES LATER PILOT CALLED TOWER AND DECLARED AN  EMERGENCY WITH BOTH ENGINES OUT.  AIRCRAFT CRASHED 1400 METERS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.  CHIEF OF FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED NO FUEL ODOR, RESIDUE OR OTHER INDICATION OF FUEL WAS PRESENT AT THE SCENE.  PICTURES TAKEN BY POLICE INDICATE THE RIGHT PROPELLER WAS FEATHERED WITH NO SIGNS OF POWER-ON IMPACT.  THE LEFT PROPELLER WAS NOT FEATHERED BUT ALSO DID NOT EXHIBIT SIGNS OF A POWER-ON IMPACT TYPIFIED WITH CURLED PROPELLER TIPS.  NO POST IMPACT FIRE.

## 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 WPR20LA308](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA308), Sep 12, 2020: Piper PA 30 (N7602Y), Billings, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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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