# NTSB ANC13LA033: Piper PA-23-250, N6008Y, Tyonek, AK, March 14, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 14, 2013, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Tyonek, AK - Coordinates: 61.08052, -151.160461 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.0805&lon=-151.1605&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 2, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 86456 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC13LA033 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86456/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86456 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC13LA033 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power of both engines for reasons that could not be determined because the engines were not made available for examination. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined; cases with it: [Piper PA-23-250, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102308), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-23-250, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7102308), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that while in level cruise flight, he attempted to fly through a snow squall, and both engines began to run rough, followed by a total loss of engine power. After both engines lost power, he switched fuel tanks, opened the alternate engine air doors, turned on the auxiliary fuel pumps, and the left engine restarted. While making a turn toward the nearest airport, the left engine failed again, and he selected a clearing in the trees as a forced landing site. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees, and sustained substantial damage to wings and fuselage. The engines were not made available and were not examined, thus no determination was made as to why the engines lost power. ## Factual narrative On March 14, 2013, about 1500 Alaska daylight time, a twin-engine Piper PA-23 airplane, N6008Y, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing, following a loss of power of both engines, near Tyonek, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross country flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Merrill Field, Alaska, about 1430, en route to Nondalton, Alaska. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on March 14, the pilot stated that while in level cruise flight he encountered a snow squall. While attempting to fly through the snow squall both engines began to run rough followed by a total loss of engine power of both engines. When the engines lost power, he switched fuel tanks, opened the alternate air doors, and turned on the auxiliary fuel pumps, and the left engine regained power. While making a turn towards the nearest airport the left engine lost power again. He made a forced landing to a clearing in the trees. On landing the airplane impacted trees, and sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The closest weather reporting facility is Kenai Airport, approximately 32 miles south of the accident site. About 7 minutes before the accident, at 1453, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) at Kenai Airport, Kenai, Alaska, reported in part: wind from 360 degrees, at 12 knots, visibility, 3 statute miles; light snow; overcast clouds at 2,200 feet, temperature, 19 degrees F; dew point 13, degrees F; altimeter, 29.88 inHg. Due to the remote location, the airplane was not examined by the NTSB at the accident site, and the engines were not made available to the NTSB, and thus no determination was made as to why both engines lost power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6008Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6008Y-2017-10-27), registration cancelled 2017-10-27, S/N 27-3190, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-23-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-23-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (registry code 7102308) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 27-3190 - Airframe hours: 8000 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540 SER 310 horsepower reciprocating; LYCOMING TI0-540 SER 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Jacko Joel N - Registered owner: Jacko Joel N - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 2, 2013 - Departed: PAMR, Anchorage, AK - Destination: PANO, Nondalton, AK - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 6, 2012; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 2,000 total, 1,700 in this make and model, 1,900 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 12 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,200 ft overcast - Temperature: 19 °F, dew point 12 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: PAEN, 32 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130314004469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130314004469A), Mar 14, 2013: Piper PA-23-250, Tyonek, AK, Substantial damage. Pilot stated he was at 1500 feet in a snow storm when both fuel injected engines quit. Pilot switched tanks turned around heading for Tyonek. Pilot stated that… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 25, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86456. 892 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 843 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392765&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 49 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410702&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.