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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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July 2, 2021 · Piper Aerostar 600A NO Series · N10HK

Wichita, KS

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 2, 2021
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury)
Location
Wichita, KS
Aircraft
Piper Aerostar 600A NO Series (1980)
Tail Number
N10HK
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN21LA302

The pilot was conducting a cross-country flight in the multiengine airplane when, about 8 miles north of the intended destination, the right engine began “sputtering and popping,” and he shut it down and feathered the propeller. Shortly thereafter, the left engine began “slowly spooling down” and the airplane was not able to maintain airspeed and altitude. The pilot performed a forced landing to a flat, muddy wheat field, resulting in substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. There was no evidence of fuel at the accident site or in the airplane. During the recovery of the airplane from the field, no fuel was found in the three intact fuel tanks nor in any of the engine fuel lines. The pilot later stated that he ran the airplane out of fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s improper fuel planning and management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Full Narrative

On July 1, 2021, about 1908 central daylight time, a Piper Aerostar 600A, N10HK, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Wichita, Kansas. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot was conducting a cross-country flight when, about 8 miles north of his intended destination, he reduced engine power, pitched for level flight, and waited for indicated airspeed to drop below 174 kts to add 20° of flaps. As soon as the drag was introduced, the airplane began to “buck back and forward,” and the two engines were “throttling up and down on their own.” He noted that the right engine seemed to be “sputtering and popping” more than the left engine, so he decided to raise the flaps and to shut down and feather the right engine. He declared an emergency to air traffic control. The pilot then noticed that the left engine was “slowly spooling down” and the airplane was not able to maintain airspeed and altitude. The pilot performed a forced landing to a flat, muddy wheat field about 4 nautical miles from the airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and to both wings. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector traveled to the accident site to examine the airplane. Flight control and engine control continuity were confirmed. The master switch was turned on and the fuel gauges showed a zero indication. There was no evidence of fuel at the accident site or in the airplane. During the recovery of the airplane from the field, no fuel was found in the three intact fuel tanks, nor in any of the engine fuel lines. The pilot later stated that he ran the airplane out of fuel during the accident flight. The pilot reported that, during the preflight checks and twice during the accident flight, he activated the low fuel warning light, and no anomalies were noted. Postaccident testing of the low fuel warning light in an exemplar Piper Aerostar 602P revealed no anomalies.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:08 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper Aerostar 600A NO Series
Tail NumberN10HK
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming Engines · IO-540-K1J5 · Reciprocating · 290 | Lycoming Engines · IO-540-K1J5 · Reciprocating · 290
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 30 · First Class · Minor

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind20° @ 3 kt
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point68 F
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time18:54
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data