# NTSB CEN09LA211: Piper PA-23-160, N338WS, Shelbyville, IN, March 13, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 13, 2009, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place: Shelbyville, IN
- Coordinates: 39.583057, -85.804725 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5831&lon=-85.8047&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report November 9, 2009
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 73496
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09LA211
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73496/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA211

## Probable cause

The loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fuel contamination. Also causal was the pilot's decision to conduct the flight with known contaminants in the fuel.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-23-160, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102304), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-23-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7102304), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-23-160, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md?model=7102304), [All aircraft, 225 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md)
- [Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [Piper PA-23-160, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=7102304), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-23-160, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7102304), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The airplane had not been flown for four years. It was on the second leg of a ferry flight when the left engine failed. The pilot made a forced landing to a plowed field, during which the wings and bottom fuselage sustained substantial damage. Prior to the accident flight, the pilot told the airport manager that he could not get all of the water out of the fuel system and that he was sure that more water would be found during sumping, due to sloshing during the flight from the previous airport. The pilot stated that no contamination was found during the preflight. An examination of the airplane showed water in the fuel. No other anomalies were found with the airplane.

## Factual narrative

On March 13, 2009, about 1430 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23-160, N338WS, owned by Wings of Hope, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a plowed field following a loss of left engine power while in cruise flight near Shelbyville, Indiana. The commercial pilot, the sole person on board the airplane, reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 ferry flight. The flight departed the Shelbyville Municipal Airport (GEZ), Shelbyville, Indiana, about 1415, and was destined for the Spirit of St Louis Airport, Chesterfield, Missouri. The airplane was purchased by Wings of Hope and was inspected in Columbus, Ohio, in accordance with the requirements of a 100-hour inspection. The airplane was flown from Columbus to GEZ. The GEZ airport manager topped off the main tanks with 100 low lead aviation gasoline. The pilot reportedly had said to the GEZ airport manager that the airplane had not been flown for four years and that this was its ferry flight. According to the manager, the pilot said that he could not get all of the water out of the fuel system, and that he was sure that more water would be found during sumping, due to sloshing during the flight from Columbus. The pilot stated that no contamination was found during the preflight. The pilot departed from GEZ and said that he encountered the loss of left engine power during the climb at about 4,000 feet above mean sea level. The pilot reported that he turned on the auxiliary pumps and changed fuel tanks. He was not able to restart the engine or feather propeller. During the wheels up landing the airplane's wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. An examination of the airplane showed water in the fuel. No other anomalies were found with the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N338WS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N338WS-2009-04-02), registration cancelled 2009-04-02, S/N 23-1341, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-23-160
- Registry model: [Piper PA-23-160](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-160) (registry code 7102304) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 23-1341
- Airframe hours: 4850
- Engines: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating; LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Ferry, Part 91
- Operator: Delbert Reiff
- Registered owner: Wings of Hope
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, March 12, 2009
- Departed: GEZ, IN
- Destination: SUS, Chesterfield, MO
- Airport: GEZ, Shelbyville Municipal Airport

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 71; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 6, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 3,608 total, 3,511 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 70° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 39 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: GEZ, 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20090313020079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090313020079A), Mar 13, 2009: Piper PA23160, Shelbyville, IN, Substantial damage. Narrative for aircraft accident of N338WS at approximately 1827Z near shelby ville, IN, on March 13, 2009. The pilot was operating on a special ferry permit to…

## Other investigations on N338WS (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 MIA66F0204](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA66F0204), Sep 13, 1965: Piper PA-23 (N338WS), Memphis, TN, substantial damage

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.

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