# NTSB CEN22LA196: Piper PA-34-200T, N29257, Marshall, OK, May 11, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: May 11, 2022, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place: Marshall, OK
- Coordinates: 36.0543, -97.3785 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0543&lon=-97.3785&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 105064
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA196
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105064/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105064
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA196

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to manage fuel, which resulted in a loss of engine power to both engines due to fuel starvation.

## Findings

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

- [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=7103406), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md)
- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200T, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7103406), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200T, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7103406), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Enroute: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200T, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=7103406), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200T, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7103406), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was on a visual flight rules cross-country flight. About an hour into the trip, at 6,500 ft and about 10 miles from his destination airport, the pilot realized that both engines lost power. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed that the left-wing fuel tank was empty, and the right-wing fuel tank was about 2/3 full. The right tank fuel selector was in the crossfeed position, and the left tank fuel selector was in the “ON” position. Both engines lost power when they were starved of fuel.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N29257](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N29257), registered now, S/N 34-7970244, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34-200T
- Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t) (registry code 7103406) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 34-7970244
- Year built: 1979
- Airframe hours: 8086
- Engines: Continental TSIO-360E 280 horsepower reciprocating; Continental TSIO-360E 280 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Blackwell Aviation LLC
- Registered owner: Blackwell Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 10, 2021
- Departed: T67, Fort Worth, TX
- Destination: HUT, Hutchinson, TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Equipment: Handheld GPS, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 43; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 22, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 130 total, 64 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observed at: KOKC, 86 nm away
- METAR: KOKC 111552Z 18016KT 10 SM FEW200 BKN250 27/20 A3006 RMK A02 SLP163 T02670200

## 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 20220511007419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220511007419A), May 11, 2022: Piper PA-34-200T, Marshall, OK, Destroyed. N29257 was in cruise flight enroute from T67 to khut at 6500 feet when both engines shut down during flight. The pilot made a couple of turns and attempted to…

## Other investigations on N29257 (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 CHI80FEI09](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI80FEI09), Dec 6, 1979: Piper PA-34 (N29257), Youngstown, OH, substantial damage

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 6, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105064. 7.0 MB in all.

- NTSB form 6120 pilot operator report CEN22LA196 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 5.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14541320&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20Pilot%20Operator%20Report%20CEN22LA196_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for the record field examination findings CEN22LA196 (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 142 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14540921&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20Field%20Examination%20Findings%20CEN22LA196_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array CEN22LA196 (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14541694&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20CEN22LA196-Rel.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.

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