- Date
- January 14, 1991, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bolivar, TN
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1361PPiper PA-23
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 9, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910114000519A
- Case key
- 8369
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The interruption of fuel to the left engine due to contamination of the left fuel tank, resulting in engine stoppage.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The CFI and dual student were on initial takeoff after the student had successfully handled a simulated right engine failure on takeoff roll. Shortly after takeoff, the left engine quit. The CFI took control, but was unable to clear trees off the end of the runway. The airplane collided with the trees before impacting the ground. An inspection of the aircraft fuel system revealed presence of some silicone-type material in the left fuel tank. This material stopped up a hand pump used to empty the fuel tank at the accident site. After the accident, the left engine was successfully run with an alternate fuel system, and no abnormalities were found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1361P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 23-410
- Airframe hours
- 7,263
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-C3B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Bolivar Aircraft Sales
- Registered owner
- Bolivar Aircraft Sales
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 20, 1990 · 46 hours before
- Airport
- M08 · Bolivar-Hardeman County, runway 18, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,206 total · 188 in this make and model · 1,109 as pilot in command · 51 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MKL, 24 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.
Other investigations on N1361P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.