- Date
- September 24, 1991, 07:50 local (12:50 UTC)
- Place
- Columbus, NE
- Injuries
- 7 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5SLPiper PA-31-350
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 8, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910924045499A
- Case key
- 15167
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
Improper refueling by ground personnel and the pilot's inadequate preflight.
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.
Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical
Fluid,fuel grade - incorrect
Refueling - improperCause
Aircraft preflight - inadequateCause
2 engines - inoperative
Forced landing
Terrain condition - open field
Analysis
The twin engine (piston) airplane lost all power shortly after takeoff. A successful forced landing was made in a cultivated field. The airplane had been fueled the previous night by a refueler who thought the airplane was turbine powered and subsequently put jet fuel in the tanks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5SL
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-350
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-7752182
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-J2B, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Kbs, Inc.
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Destination
- BFF · Scottsbluff, NE
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- OLU · Municipal
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 56
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,470 total · 715 in this make and model · 6,380 as pilot in command · 110 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OLU, 2 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.