- Date
- March 7, 1992, 07:57 local (12:57 UTC)
- Place
- Qioquinton, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N27613Piper PA-31-350
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920307040629A
- Case key
- 11766
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
Engine failure due to fuel exhaustion because of an open crossfeed fuel line drain valve.
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 airline transport pilot was diverting to his new destination when both engines lost power. A gear up landing was made in a field 3 miles NE of the airport. While en route the pilot observed there was an excessive fuel consumption from the left tank, so he recalculated the fuel he had remaining on board which he determined to be two hours. He proceeded to his destination as it was only 50 minutes away from his present position. Examination of the aircraft and the fuel system by the FAA revealed the crossfeed fuel line drain valve was open. There were no other abnormalities found in the system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N27613
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-350
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-7852088
- Airframe hours
- 5,500
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Eagle Aero Inc
- Registered owner
- Eagle Aero Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- TTN · Trenton, NJ
- Destination
- RIC · Richmond, VA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- W96 · New Kent Co.
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
- 30
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,004 total · 600 in this make and model · 2,895 as pilot in command · 210 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RIC, 10 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.