# NTSB CHI02LA052: Piper PA-34, N4354A, Clinton, MO, December 17, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 17, 2001, 08:15 local (14:15 UTC) - Place: Clinton, MO - Coordinates: 38.37014, -93.760795 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3701&lon=-93.7608&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 15, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 53917 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA052 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53917/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA052 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate prefight, his failure to feather the propellers, and the fuel exhaustion. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fuel system - starvation - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - emergency procedure - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - fuel system - exhaustion (cause) - terrain condition - crop ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field, 500 feet short of the runway. While in cruise flight at 8,000 feet msl on an IFR flight plan, the airplane lost power on one engine. An emergency was declared and the airplane was given radar vectors to an airport. The pilot made a visual approach to the airport, but on final approach, the airplane lost power to the remaining engine and landed short of the runway. The pilot reported that during preflight he did not visually verify the fuel load by removing the fuel caps and looking into the fuel tanks, since there was "...standing water in the fuel caps and a moderate rainfall at near freezing [temperatures] and I did not want to contaminate my fuel." He reported that during taxi for takeoff the fuel gages read 1/2 full. He reported he expected to be able to return "...with just over an hour of fuel on board and leaving on a 45 minute flight." He reported that, "20 minutes into the flight my fuel gages began falling to empty." He reported, "30 miles west of GLY the right engine quit [.] I secured the engine and declared the emergency." The pilot requested radar vectors for GLY. The pilot reported he found a hole in the clouds and descended through it. He reported he was, "...getting established on a short final [when] the left engine quit with the aircraft settling short of the runway." The inspection of the airplane revealed there was no fuel in the tanks and neither propeller was found in the feathered position. ## Factual narrative On December 17, 2001, at 0815 central standard time, a Piper PA-34, N4354A, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a field, 500 feet short of runway 22 at the Clinton Memorial Airport (GLY), Clinton, Missouri. The 14 CFR Part 91 business flight departed Springfield Downtown Airport (3DW), Springfield, Missouri, at 0715 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan en route to Kansas City Downtown Airport (MKC), Kansas City, Missouri. While in cruise flight at 8,000 feet msl and approximately 30 miles west GLY, the airplane lost power on one engine. An emergency was declared and the airplane was given radar vectors to GLY. The pilot made a visual approach to the airport, but on final approach, the airplane lost power to the remaining engine and landed short of the runway. The commercial pilot was not injured and the two passengers received minor injuries. At 0737, Whiteman AFB, located 24 nautical miles to the north of GLY, was reporting instrument meteorological conditions. The flight was on an IFR flight plan. The pilot reported that during preflight he did not visually verify the fuel load by removing the fuel caps and looking into the fuel tanks, since there was "...standing water in the fuel caps and a moderate rainfall at near freezing temps [temperatures] and I did not want to contaminate my fuel." He reported that during taxi for takeoff the fuel gages read 1/2 full. He reported he expected to be able to return "with just over an hour of fuel on board and leaving on a 45 minute flight." He reported that, "20 minutes into the flight my fuel gages began falling to empty... ." He reported, "...30 miles west of GLY the right engine quit [.] I secured the engine and declared the emergency." The pilot requested radar vectors for GLY. The pilot reported he found a hole in the clouds and descended through it. He reported he was, "...getting established on a short final [when] the left engine quit with the aircraft settling short of the runway." The inspection of the airplane revealed there was no fuel in the tanks or fuel lines, and neither propeller was found in the feathered position. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4354A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4354A-2013-08-07), registration cancelled 2013-08-07, S/N 34-8433041 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-34 - Registry model: [Piper PA-34-220T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-220t) (registry code 7103420) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 34-8433041 - Engines: Continental TSIO360 KB 220 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Great Southern Bank - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 3DW, Springfield, MO - Destination: MKC, Kansas City, MO - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: GLY, Clinton Memorial Airport, runway 22, 4,000 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review November 30, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 6,803 total, 1,439 in this make and model, 6,091 as pilot in command, 99 in the last 90 days, 42 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 12 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 800 ft broken - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: SZL, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20011217034529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011217034529A), Dec 17, 2001: Piper PA34220T, Clinton, MO, No damage. (-23) Pilots preflight did not include verification of fuel onboard the aircraft. Pilot departed 3DW enroute to mkc, approximately 35 miles west of gly, right… 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.