IAD98FA042

Three days prior to the accident flight, the pilot/owner landed at his home airport where no fuel was available. The pilot reported to witnesses that during the flight home he had run the auxiliary tanks empty and had nearly exhausted his fuel supply. On the day of the accident, the pilot researched area airports for fuel prices 'cheaper' than the nearest fuel stop, and stated he had '...an hour's worth of fuel on board.' Immediately after takeoff, witnesses described a loss of engine power on one and then both engines. The airplane collided with terrain 3 miles from the departure airport. Examination of the wreckage revealed approximately one gallon of fuel on board with no evidence of spillage at the scene. Both fuel selectors were in the 'crossfeed' position. The fuel system was recently overhauled and all fuel pumps were operational. Examination of the airframe and engines revealed no pre-impact anomalies. Examination of fuel records and aircraft flight times revealed the airplane had flown approximately 5 hours after its last fuel service.

History of flight

On April 5, 1998, at 1638 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-30, N7845Y, was destroyed during a forced landing to an athletic field complex in McMechen, West Virginia, shortly after takeoff from the Marshall County Airport (74D), Moundsville, West Virginia. The certificated private pilot/owner was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The personal flight originated from 74D, at 1630, and was destined for Wheeling, West Virginia.

A review of voice communication tapes between N7845Y and Wheeling Tower revealed the pilot contacted the tower for landing instructions shortly after takeoff from 74D. During communication with the tower the pilot stated: "...we're having problems." When the tower controller asked for clarification of the problem, the pilot stated:

"We're ah...I think we're having fuel problems. I'm trying to figure it out."

The airplane crashed into the north end of the football field that was on the east side of the field complex. Several witnesses heard and saw the airplane during the accident flight. They each described a loss of engine power on one or both engines, a brief restoration of power, then a total loss of engine power prior to ground contact.

In an interview, one witness who was an experienced pilot and aviation mechanic, stated he was at his home 2 miles north of 74D along the departure flight path. He heard the airplane during the takeoff roll and witnessed nearly all of the accident flight. The witness stated he clearly heard two engines during the takeoff roll. He stated:

"I heard him come off the deck. He couldn't have been more than a couple of seconds off the deck when the right engine quit. When he came over the house, the right engine was feathered, the prop was standing straight up. He was maybe 2,000 to 2,200 feet max. The left engine was sputtering, trying its best, but there was no RPM and he was losing altitude big time."

The witness stated the left engine restarted and ran for 1.5 to 2 minutes before it stopped producing power. He said he followed the airplane in his car and watched it descend over the ridge between 74D and McMechen. The witness estimated the airplane was approximately 800 feet above the ground and travelling approximately 80 knots after it crossed the ridge. He said the wings were "wallowing" as it approached the football field.

A police officer who witnessed the accident was standing in the baseball field adjacent to the accident site. In a written statement, he described the airplane's approach, loss of engine power, and circling over the athletic fields. He stated:

"...I could hear the engine sputter, and then quit. The plane coasted north and was losing altitude, the engine started again for a couple of seconds. The plane flew on the east side of the ball field and was wobbling from side to side...As the plane flew over the road it was approximately 50 feet in the air, the plane turned to the left and when it got almost to the south fence around the football field the plane flew straight up and to the left as if to execute a loop de loop maneuver. On the way down the plane corkscrewed so that the canopy of the plane was facing north and then struck the ground. The plane came to rest on her belly.

The accident occurred during the hours of daylight approximately 39 degrees, 52 minutes north latitude, and 80 degrees, 44 minutes west longitude.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane.

His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Third Class Medical Certificate was issued on March 5, 1998. The pilot reported 400 hours of total flight experience on that date.

The pilot's original log book was located but it was incomplete. According to the Marshall County Airport manager, the pilot's flight instructor, the pilot misplaced his original logbook and he started a second. The second logbook was subsequently destroyed and the pilot reverted back to his original logbook.

Entries in the logbook recovered were stopped on November 3, 1992, and resumed March 21, 1998. The pilot recorded 667 hours of total flight experience, 481 hours of which were in make and model. The pilot had flown 11 hours in N7845Y in the 30 days prior to the accident and had completed a biennial flight review and instrument competency check on March 29, 1998.

Aircraft information

The airplane's maintenance records were not recovered. However, the most recent annual inspection was completed at the Marshall County Airport on March 5, 1998. The airport manager, an FAA certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic, forwarded a written statement that included a copy of the logbook entries. Extensive fuel system repair or replacement is detailed in the following:

"PA-30B Ser'#925 Tac Time 2143.62 Total Time 6587. March 5th 1998 Annual Inspection. Opened up aircraft for Inspection. Removed total fuel system and replaced both Main and Aux tanks with new ones (from Hartwig) using all new snaps. Had all four fuel senders overhauled by (Airparts of Lockhaven) and calibrated same. Replaced fuel caps with new (WFC1. PMA Webco). Replaced one fuel boost pump with new (C8100E Weldon) and one with overhauled unit (B81 OOC Weldon). Replaced fuel valve assemblies with new (492-136 & 492-137). Replaced some aluminum fuel lines that were found leaking. Rewired (attached) all electric microswitches on fuel selector valves. Replaced all rubber hose connections. Replaced all associated gaskets and some of the filler door seals and southco fasteners. Replaced 4 fuel vent hoses. Filled and tested fuel system. AD 83-10-01 has been addressed by above actions. AD 79-12-08 also addressed this time. I certify that this aircraft was inspected in accordance with an Annual/I00 hour Inspection and was found to be in an airworthy condition."

The airport manager stated that after completion of the inspection he had both test flown the airplane and provided several hours of instruction to the pilot/owner in N7845Y with no deficiencies noted.

The airport manager further stated that the pilot/owner performed maintenance on the airplane two days prior to the accident. He said:

"I saw [the pilot/owner] again on Friday afternoon when I found him in front of the main maintenance hangar at the Marshall County Airport with the access panel from the top of his port wing removed. He had discovered the rubber bladder of the left auxiliary fuel tank was collapsing or imploding as he used fuel from it. I had effected a repair of the situation by clearing the tank vent with a piece of safety wire and a vacuum cleaner. But [the pilot/owner] explained to me that he was concerned that the fuel tank may have unsnapped itself from one or more of the fuel bladder attach points in the wing, so he was in the process of investigating.

"As the person who was on record as maintaining the aircraft, I was unhappy with this situation and I pointed out to him the folly of what he was doing and stood there and supervised him while he replaced all the gaskets and hardware. At that time I asked [the pilot/owner] for the aircraft maintenance log as I need to make an entry and he told me that he would provide them for me although he didn't have them at that time."

Meteorological information

The weather reported at Wheeling, West Virginia, 18 miles northeast of Moundsville was: few clouds at 6,000 feet with 10 miles visibility. The winds were from 280 degrees at 12 knots.

Wreckage and impact information

The wreckage was examined at the site on April 6, 1998, and all major components were accounted for at the scene.

The airplane impacted almost vertically and came to rest at the point of initial ground contact. The nose area was destroyed a