# Accident 20221004022629A: Piper PA-30, Milan, GA, October 4, 2022 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 4, 2022, 13:40 local time - Place: Milan, GA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.0176° N, 83.0677° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0176&lon=-83.0677&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7494Y, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7494Y) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-30 (registry code 7103002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30 - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total, 22 in this make and model, 37 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA005) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221004022629A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON OCTOBER 4TH 2022, AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A 1964 PIPER PA-30 (TWIN ENGINE COMANCHE), S/N 30-555, WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON US HWY 280, APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES EAST OF MILAN, GEORGIA. ON LANDING, THE RIGHT WINGTIP STRUCK A CULVERT MARKING SIGN CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THERE WAS ONE PERSON ON BOARD WITH NO INJURIES. ACCORDING TO THE SAFETY PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS SYSTEM (SPAS), THE AIRCRAFT IS REGISTERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. HOWEVER, A BILL OF SALE AND FAA REGISTRATION APPLICATION WAS PROVIDED SHOWING THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECENTLY PURCHASED ON JUNE 6, 2022, BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AWAITING FAA REGISTRY PROCESSING. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. DAY, VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. ON OCTOBER 4TH, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, AN FAA INSPECTOR FROM THE ATLANTA FSDO WAS DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE IN ORDER TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. AT THE DIRECTION OF THE FAA IIC, IT WAS REQUESTED BY THE LOCAL SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE ROADWAY TO A MORE SECURE LOCATION APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS DOWN THE ROAD IN A NEARBY FIELD. THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED. UPON ARRIVAL TO THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE FAA IIC BEGAN HIS INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE DAMAGE. AS REPORTED, THE MAJORITY OF THE DAMAGE WAS CONCENTRATED TO THE FIRST 2 FEET OF THE RIGHT-WING TIP AREA. THIS COINCIDES WITH THE REPORT OF THE AIRCRAFT STRIKING AN OBJECT DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING AND ON ROLL OUT. A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE WING TIP REVEALED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE DAMAGE WAS CONCENTRATED TO THE WING SKIN, WING SPAR AND WING RIBS. THERE WAS ALSO AN AREA OF THE WING WHICH DISPLAYED BUCKLING, APPROXIMATELY HALFWAY BETWEEN THE WING TIP AND FUSELAGE NEAR THE TOP TRAILING EDGE OF THE WING. THIS TYPE OF WRINKLING AND BUCKLING OF THE AIRCRAFT SKIN USUALLY IS A SIGN OF INTERNAL WING SPAR OR WING RIB DAMAGE. A FURTHER DETAILED EXAMINATION WILL NEED TO TAKE PLACE TO CONFIRM THE ADDITIONAL SUSPECTED DAMAGE. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS NOTED. ON OCTOBER 5TH, 2022 THE FAA IIC MET THE PILOT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT THE ACCIDENT SITE TO FURTHER TROUBLESHOOT THE CAUSE OF BOTH ENGINES FAILING DURING FLIGHT. BASED ON A REVIEW OF THE MAINTENANCE LOGS AND INTERVIEWS WITH THE PILOT AND MECHANIC THAT PERFORMED THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION, IT WAS SUSPECTED THAT WATER CONTAMINATION WAS STILL PRESENT IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE GOAL WAS TO SUMP THE MAIN AND AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS TO TANKS TO POSSIBLE IDENTIFY FUEL CONTAMINATION AND THEN TO SEE IF BOTH ENGINES WOULD CRANK WITHOUT ISSUE. JUST AS INSPECTED, THE FUEL SUMP DID REVEAL A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER STILL PRESENT IN THE MAIN AND AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS. ONCE IT WAS SUSPECTED THAT ALL WATER WAS REMOVED, THE DECISION TO START BOTH ENGINES WAS GIVEN. THE PILOT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED INTO THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY START BOTH ENGINES TO 2000 RPM APPROXIMATELY 70% OF FULL POWER. HOWEVER, BOTH FUEL FLOW GAUGES WERE ONLY READING 2.5 TO 3 GALLONS PER HOUR WITH BOOST PUMPS ON AND FUEL RICH MIXTURE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN READING AROUND 12 GALLONS HOUR BASED ON THE CURRENT RPM SETTING. FURTHER FUEL CONTAMINATION IS STILL SUSPECTED. A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS REVEALED THAT A CURRENT ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED ON THE AIRFRAME, POWER PLANTS AND PROPELLERS ON 6/29/2022 AND ALL AD’S WERE COMPLIED WITH. THE AIRCRAFT HAD A TOTAL TIME (TT) OF 5043 HOURS AT THE TIME OF THE ANNUAL INSPECTION AND HAD ONLY ACCUMULATED 1 HOUR OF TT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. DURING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION BOTH FUEL SELECTOR VALVE SCREENS WERE CHANGED AND AD 83-10-01 WAS ACCOMPLISHED, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH WATER RETENTION IN THE FUEL TANKS. HOWEVER, THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS THAT THE AD WAS IMPROPERLY PERFORMED. ## 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 ERA23LA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA005), Oct 4, 2022: Piper PA-30 (N7494Y), Milan, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fuel contamination. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.