- Date
- May 23, 1982, 00:57 local (07:57 UTC)
- Place
- Chandler, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2091KPiper PA-44-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report May 23, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 70187
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 pilot departed Chandler, AZ with the fuel gauges indicating 40 plus gallons in each tank. After a 1.2 hr flight to lake havasu city, AZ, the gauges indicated 20 plus gallons in each tank. During the return trip to Chandler at night, both engines lost power after descending to enter the traffic pattern for landing. At that time, both fuel gauges indicated 10 gallons remaining in each tank. The pilot saw the lights of a car and tried to line up on its tail lights to land on the road. However, the plane struck a powerline, hit the top of a tree, and then impacted on a lawn. An investigation revealed no indication of fuel remaining in either tank.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2091K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-44-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 44-79-9517
- Airframe hours
- 1,250
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-E1A6D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Venture Aviation
- Registered owner
- Ronald W. Gillespie
- Departed
- LHU · Lake Havasu, AZ
- Destination
- P1O · Chandler, AZ
- Airport
- runway 4, 3,820 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 329 total · 17 in this make and model · 125 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Temperature
- 158 °F