- Date
- February 27, 1984, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Deming, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3253PPiper PA-23-160
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840227005439A
- Case key
- 16346
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
The plt took off with full fuel tanks & used fuel from the main tanks until they were aprx 1/2 full. He then switched to the tip tanks & used fuel from them until they emptied. Judging from a previous flt, he knew the l tip tank would empty aprx 8 min before the r tip. The acft was at aprx 5000FT AGL when the l tip emptied. At that time, the l eng lost fuel pressure & power. The plt switched the l selector back to the l main tank, but power was not restored. While trying to restart the l eng, the acft emtered a strong downdraft & rapidly lost alt. The l prop continued windmilling & the plt elected to land on a road. The plt stated he knew the r tip was due to run dry & he switched the r selector to the r main, but the r eng quit at 100 to 150 ft AGL. A pax stated the r eng stopped, 5 to 10 min after the l eng. The plt then tried to land in a field, but the acft hit power lines & crashed. No preimpact/mechanical failure was found. Reportedly, considerably more time is required to start an eng, if it stops from fuel starvation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3253P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 23-1198
- Airframe hours
- 4,200
- Engine
- Franklin LA-350-CIA, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John Fitzgibbon
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 23, 1983
- Departed
- Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- PEQ · Pecos, TX
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 25,000 total · 500 in this make and model · 20,000 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 23 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.