# NTSB CEN23LA166: Protech PT2, N44048, Columbia, MS, April 25, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 24, 2023, 19:00 local (Apr 25, 2023, 00:00 UTC) - Place: Columbia, MS - Coordinates: 31.103045, -89.7784 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.1030&lon=-89.7784&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 107150 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA166 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/107150/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107150 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA166 ## Probable cause The pilot’s lack of proper maintenance, which allowed the fuel filters to become obstructed, leading to fuel starvation and a subsequent engine power loss. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fuel system: fuel filter-strainer](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022821): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not serviced/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Beets Larry Joe PROTECH PT2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022821/cases.md?model=05606PL), [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022821/cases.md) - [Fuel system: fuel filter-strainer](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022821): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Beets Larry Joe PROTECH PT2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022821/cases.md?model=05606PL), [All aircraft, 52 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022821/cases.md) - [Maintenance: scheduled/routine maintenance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beets Larry Joe PROTECH PT2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md?model=05606PL), [All aircraft, 320 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft maintenance event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040); cases with it: [Beets Larry Joe PROTECH PT2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md?model=05606PL), [All aircraft, 484 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Beets Larry Joe PROTECH PT2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=05606PL), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Beets Larry Joe PROTECH PT2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=05606PL), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Enroute-descent: Emergency descent initiated](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130); cases with it: [Beets Larry Joe PROTECH PT2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130/sequence.md?model=05606PL), [All aircraft, 42 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beets Larry Joe PROTECH PT2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05606PL), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot, who was the airpane owner and builder, reported that while flying at about 1,000 ft above the ground, the airplane’s engine lost power and that attempts to restart it were not successful. He stated that there was a clearing farther along his flight path, but he did not have enough altitude to reach the clearing and elected to land on a gravel road. During the landing approach he saw a powerline and maneuvered to avoid it but struck a pine tree. The airplane came to rest in a nose-down attitude among the trees and sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with regard to the engine; however, it was found that the in-line fuel filters installed in the fuel lines from the airplane’s wing mounted fuel tanks were obstructed. The pilot stated that he did not know when the fuel filters were last checked or changed and that they may have been on the airplane for about 20 years. The recorded temperature and dew point at the time of the accident were in the range for serious carburetor icing at glide power. Based on the available evidence the reason for the loss of engine power was likely due to the lack of periodic maintenance or replacement of the fuel filters, which allowed them to become obstructed and led to fuel starvation. ## Factual narrative On April 24, 2023, about 1900 central daylight time, a Protech PT2 airplane, N44048, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Columbia, Mississippi. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that during a local pleasure flight, while in cruise flight about 1,000 ft above ground level, the airplane’s engine lost all power. He attempted to restart the engine by checking the throttle, mixture, carburetor heat, and switching on the other fuel tank. He stated that he also attempted to use the engine primer to restart the engine. All attempts were not successful, and he prepared for an off-airport landing. He stated that there was a clearing farther along his flight path, but he did not have enough altitude to reach the clearing and elected to land on a gravel road. During the landing approach he saw a powerline and maneuvered to avoid it but struck a pine tree. The airplane came to rest in a nose-down attitude among the trees and sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. A postaccident examination was conducted of the engine and fuel system. The engine examination revealed no anomalies. The airplane’s fuel system consisted of one fuel tank in each wing connected by rubber hoses to a fuel selector, which led to a gascolator, and finally to the engine. At the time of the examination the wings had been removed from the airplane and were not available for examination; however, the fuel system plumbing was present in the fuselage. The rubber fuel hoses from the wing tanks had automotive fuel filters installed. Removal of the filters revealed significant restriction of the fuel filters when attempting to blow through them. The amount of restriction was not quantified. The most recent maintenance record entry for the required condition inspection made no mention of replacement or checking of the fuel filters. The pilot/owner reported that he did not know when the fuel filters were last checked or changed and that they may have been on the airplane for about 20 years. The recorded temperature and dew point at the time of the accident were in the range for serious carburetor icing at glide power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N44048](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N44048), registered now, S/N 1998, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PROTECH PT2 - Registry model: [Beets Larry Joe PROTECH PT2](https://openairdocs.org/model/beets-larry-joe-protech-pt2) (registry code 05606PL) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1998 - Year built: 1998 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 76; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 27, 2022; seat: left; flight hours: 4,000 total, 500 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: KBXA, 18 nm away - METAR: KBXA 242355Z AUTO 02004KT 10SM CLR 21/09 A3002 RMK AO2 T02100094 10246 20206 ## 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 20230425009119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230425009119A), Apr 25, 2023: Beets Larry Joe PROTECH PT2, Columbia, MS, Destroyed. Pilot;76-year-OLD; no injuries and no insurance; aircraft total loss. Pilot has no means of electronic media (no email, nor computer access) all correspondence… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 7, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107150. 9.0 MB in all. - Roc with pilot (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17085551&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20with%20pilot-Rel.pdf - Accident photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17085456&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf - Aircraft examination notes. (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 132 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17085991&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Aircraft%20exam-Rel.pdf - Carburetor icing probability chart (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 336 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17086628&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Carburetor%20Icing%20Probability%20Graph%20-%20docket-Rel.pdf - Maintenance record excerpts (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 7.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17086713&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maint%20records_Redacted-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. --- 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.