- Date
- September 9, 1999, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hillsboro, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4065PPiper PA-23-160
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 2, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990909026329A
- Case key
- 47387
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Loss of engine power due to fuel contamination.
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
During the preflight inspection, water was found in the aircraft's main fuel tanks. After sumping the tanks several times, the pilots believed the water was removed. While maneuvering, the flight instructor intentionally failed and secured the right engine. A restart attempt of the right engine was unsuccessful and the pilots elected to return to the airport. While turning an approximate three mile final, the aircraft's left engine failed. Approximately one quarter mile from the runway, the student initiated a left turn permitting a forced landing to an open field. While in the left turn, the aircraft contacted the terrain. A post-accident inspection of the wreckage, revealed water in the aircraft's main fuel tanks and the carburetor bowls of both engines.
Factual narrative
On September 9, 1999, about 1530 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-23-160 Apache, N4065P, registered to and operated by Scholls Oaks LLC, was substantially damaged during an off-airport forced landing following a complete loss of power. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The private pilot student received minor injuries while the certified flight instructor was uninjured. The flight originated from Stark's Twin Oaks Airpark, Hillsboro, Oregon, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident.
According to the pilot's statement, water was found in the aircraft's main fuel tanks during the preflight inspection. After sumping the tanks several times, the water was believed to be removed and the pilot's departed for the flight. While maneuvering, the flight instructor intentionally failed and secured the right engine. A restart attempt of the right engine was unsuccessful, and the pilots elected to return to the airport. While turning an approximate three mile final, the aircraft's left engine failed. Approximately one quarter mile from the runway, the student initiated a left turn permitting a forced landing to an open field. While in the left turn, the aircraft contacted the terrain causing substantial damage to left wing and fuselage.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector from the Portland, Oregon, Flight Standards District Office, inspected the wreckage and reported there was water in the aircraft's main fuel tanks. He also stated there was water found in the carburetor bowls of both engines.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4065P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 23-1543
- Airframe hours
- 6,236
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B3B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Scholls Oaks LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 1999 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- 7S3 · OR
- Airport
- 7S3 · Stark'S Twin Oaks, runway 2, 2,465 × 25 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,300 total · 107 in this make and model · 2,000 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 83 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HIO, 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.