- Date
- September 19, 1993, 21:30 local (Sep 20, 1993, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Spencer, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5309YPiper PA-23-250
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930919044809A
- Case key
- 9326
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
the pilot's to switch fuel tanks which resulted in fuel starvation. A factor related to the accident was the rough terrain on which the airplane was landed.
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.
Analysis
Fuel in the right fuel tank was exhausted during an ILS to runway 12. A loss of power on the right engine resulted. The airplane touched down in rough terrain approximately 1,000 feet short of the runway. The pilot stated he failed to switch fuel tanks.
Factual narrative
On September 19, 1993, at 2130 central daylight time, a Piper Pa-23-250, N5309Y, registered to the Emmetsburg Medical Clinic, Emmetsburg, Iowa, undershot the runway following a loss of engine power on one engine during an ILS approach. The accident occurred at the Spencer Airport, Spencer, Iowa, during a business flight. Visual meteological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan had been filed. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated from Prarie Du Chien, Wisconsin, on September 20, 1993, at 2000 cdt.
The pilot stated that while on final approach the right fuel tank ran dry. He stated he failed to switch the tanks and a total loss of power occurred on the right engine. The airplane touched down in rough terrain approximately 1,000 short of runway 12.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5309Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 27-2382
- Airframe hours
- 31,073
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A1D5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert L. Cozine
- Registered owner
- Emmetsburg Medical Clinic
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 21, 1993
- Departed
- PDC · Prarie Du Chien, WI
- Destination
- SPW
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SPW · Spencer Municipal, runway 12, 5,000 × 100 ft
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,880 total · 710 in this make and model · 2,700 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- 3SE
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.