# NTSB ERA23LA005: Piper PA-30, N7494Y, Milan, GA, October 4, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 4, 2022, 12:55, time zone not recorded - Place: Milan, GA - Coordinates: 32.017581, -83.067658 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0176&lon=-83.0677&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 106060 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA005 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106060/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106060 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA005 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fuel contamination. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Inadequate inspection (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel contamination](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 225 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/193/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-30, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7103002), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he purchased the multiengine airplane about 3 months prior to the accident, then flew it uneventfully to another airport for an annual inspection and to have other maintenance issues addressed. After the annual inspection was completed, several engine-runs and taxi checks were performed with no anomalies noted. On the day of the accident, the pilot completed a preflight inspection and intended to fly to his home airport. The mechanic that completed the annual inspection told him that he had drained black sooty water from the fuel tanks. The pilot went out to the airplane and drained water out of the tanks until the fuel was clean and clear. About 5 to 6 minutes into the flight, the left engine began to run rough and lost partial power. When the pilot increased the power on the right engine, the right engine immediately lost all power. He set up for an off-airport landing and noticed a highway, so he lined up with the centerline of the highway and landed. During the landing rollout, the right-wing tip collided with a highway sign. The airplane subsequently rolled off the highway and came to rest upright in a field. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the right-wing spar. Two days after the accident, more water was sumped from both fuel tanks. After the water was removed, both engines ran normally. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Based on this information, it is most likely that the loss of engine power the pilot experienced during the accident flight was due to fuel contamination. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7494Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7494Y), registered now, S/N 30-555, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30 - Registry model: [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (registry code 7103002) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 30-555 - Year built: 1964 - Airframe hours: 5043 - Engines: Lycoming IO-320-B1A 160 hp reciprocating; Lycoming IO-320-B1A 160 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 29, 2022 - Departed: FZG, Fitzgerald, GA - Destination: MQW, McRae, GA - Airport: None - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 3,005 total, 16 in this make and model, 299 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: EZM, 12 nm away - METAR: KEZM 041635Z AUTO 09003KT 10SM CLR 21/08 A3011 RMK AO2 ## 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 20221004022629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221004022629A), Oct 4, 2022: Piper PA-30, Milan, GA, Substantial damage. On October 4th 2022, at approximately 1300 eastern standard time, [privacy data omitted], a 1964 Piper PA-30 (twin engine comanche), s/n 30-555, was forced to… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 7, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106060. 3.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14676368&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14673731&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Interview-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 115 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14702426&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20statement-Rel.pdf - Investigative photos (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 772 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14676378&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photo%27s-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.