- Date
- April 18, 1988, 21:08 local (Apr 19, 1988, 02:08 UTC)
- Place
- Henderson, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N59981Piper PA-31-350
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880418054839I
- Case key
- 22572
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
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 pilot experienced total loss of power from the left engine and a partial loss of power from the right engine due to fuel starvation. The main fuel tanks on which the engines were operating were found empty but there was an adequate fuel supply in the auxiliary tanks. Although operating in IFR conditions, the pilot accomplished a safe landing on an airport. Tests showed erroneous fuel flow indications and defective fuel float sensors.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N59981
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-350
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-7552070
- Airframe hours
- 1,453
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Air Exchange, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Emersome Enterprise, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · April 10, 1988 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- SHV · Shreveport, LA
- Destination
- TYR · Tyler, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- F12 · Rusk County, runway 34, 4,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 36
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 22 in this make and model · 2,365 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GGG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.