FTW84LA133

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-31P · Presidio, TX · February 15, 1984

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
February 15, 1984, 12:40 local (18:40 UTC)
Place
Presidio, TX
Injuries
2 serious, 4 minor
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N3PNPiper PA-31P
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19840215003389A
Case key
21257

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.

Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanicalCruise - normal
Fluid,fuel - starvationFactor
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Became lost/disoriented - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
In-flight planning/decision - improperPilot in commandCause
Refueling - not performedPilot in commandCause
Forced landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Precautionary landing - performedPilot in commandCause
OverrunLanding - roll
Weather condition - tailwindFactor
Planned approach - improperPilot in commandCause
Airspeed - excessivePilot in commandCause
Proper touchdown point - not attainedPilot in commandCause
Wrong runway - selectedPilot in commandCause
Nose overLanding - roll
Terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankmentFactor

Analysis

During a x-country flt the plt could not locate a refueling stop and landed 100 miles away. No refueling was accomplished and he decided to go on to his destination with the fuel remaining. Enroute his right engine coughed and herealized he was running out of fuel. After switching to crossfeed normal engine operation was restored. Even though he was only about 3 miles from his destination he decided to land on a 4000 ft dirt agricultural airstrip which he saw directly below him. He forced the acft down and landed downwind at high speed about midway down the rwy. The acft did not stop on the rwy and overran into a dirt bank and a fence. The landing gear was knocked off and the acft became airborne for 700 more ft before impacting and tumbling. The acft came to rest inverted about 825 ft past the dirt bank. A fire developed in the left wing and consumed most of the area in the vicinity of the left fuel tank outboard of the left engine. The plt stated that there were no malfunctions of the acft or systems.

Aircraft

Registration
N3PN
Reported as
Piper PA-31P
Category
Airplane
Serial number
31P-70
Airframe hours
2,014
Engine
Lycoming TIGO-541-E1A, 425 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Thomas L. Parker
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · August 1, 1983
Destination
TX07 · Precidio, TX
Airport
runway 11, 4,000 × 75 ft, grass/turf

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
62
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
3,207 total · 500 in this make and model · 36 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
270° at 15 knots
Visibility
50 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.