# NTSB MIA96LA187: Piper PA-23-250, N6819Y, St Petersburg, FL, July 17, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 17, 1996, 14:35 local (18:35 UTC) - Place: St Petersburg, FL - Coordinates: 27.76905, -82.629714 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7691&lon=-82.6297&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 30, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38051 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA96LA187 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38051/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA96LA187 ## Probable cause a loss of engine power due to fuel contamination, which resulted in a forced landing (ditching) in water. Factors relating to the accident were: an inadquate annual inspection by maintenance personnel, and an inadequate preflight inspection by the pilot. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, climb - all engines - fluid,fuel - contamination (cause) - maintenance,annual inspection - inadequate, other maintenance personnel (contributing factor) - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Ditching, emergency landing - terrain condition - water ## Analysis The pilot departed on a flight on the day after an annual inspection had been completed. After departing, he reported, the right engine was 'running rough.' The control tower cleared him for an emergency landing back at the airport. While returing, the pilot was unable to maintain altitude, and the flight impacted water about 1 mile south of the airport. According to the pilot's statement, he was flying westbound over water, when the right engine 'stopped.' He stated that he 'secured' the right engine, and about 1 minute later, the left engine 'stopped.' He 'secured' the left engine, and the airplane 'hit water.' The pilot stated that he was in the air about 15 minutes when the loss of engine power occurred. Examination of the right engine revealed, there was rusty water in the sediment bowl at the fire wall; rusty water and contamination were also found in the respective fuel servo screen. The left engine sediment bowl was found dry; the respective fuel servo screen was found with rust stains and contamination with 'trash' in the screen. The fuel selector valves operated without any discrepancies. No preimpact mechanical discrepancy was found with either engine. ## Factual narrative On July 17, 1996, about 1435 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23-250, N6819Y, registered to LCE Inc., of Safety Harbor, Florida, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91, en route to Watchula, Florida, crashed in the vicinity of St. Petersburg, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot was not injured. Shortly after takeoff the pilot reported that the right engine was running rough. The control tower cleared him for an emergency landing back to the airport. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude, and the flight impacted water about 1 mile south of the airport. According to the pilot's statement, he was flying west bound over Tampa Bay, "when No. 2, right engine (quit) stopped." He stated that he "secured [the] right engine," and about 1 minute later the No. 1, left engine "stopped" and he "secured" the engine, and "hit water." The pilot stated that he was in the air about 15 minutes when the engine failures occurred. In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, under the box marked, Mechanical Malfunction Failure, the pilot indicated "YES," and his explanation was "fuel contamination." The FAA stated that when the airplane was lifted from the water, the left propeller was "feathered", and the right propeller "was not." This was confirmed by the diver that observed the airplane when it was underwater. The FAA further stated that "extensive" damage was done to the airplane while it was being removed from the water. Both engines were examined at Aviation Consultant Services Inc., Wimauma, Florida, on July 7, 1996. Examination of the right engine revealed, there was rusty water in the sediment bowl, at the fire wall. Rusty water and contamination was also found in the fuel servo screen. The left engine sediment bowl was found dry. The fuel servo screen was found with rust stains, and contamination with "trash" in the screen. The fuel selector valves operated with out any discrepancies. No discrepancies were found with either engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6819Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6819Y-2013-05-02), registration cancelled 2013-05-02, S/N 27-4158, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-23-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-23-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (registry code 7102308) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 27-4158 - Airframe hours: 4691 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540-C1A 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: L C E Inc., doing business as L C E Inc - Registered owner: Frank F Tonuzi - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 16, 1996, 1 hours before - Departed: SPG - Destination: FD06, WATCHULA, FL - Airport: SPG, Albert Whitted ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 721 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 5 knots - Visibility: 13 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,500 ft broken - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SPG, 1 nm away ## 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 19960717023339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960717023339A), Jul 17, 1996: Piper PA23250, St Petersburg, FL, Substantial damage. Double engine failure after departure. Ditched in bay. Found rust and sediment in fuel system. Failed feather NR2. 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.