Engine failures lead to forced landing of aircraft being ferried for rebuild

Casualties unknown • Burns, OR, US

An aircraft being ferried for reconstruction experienced dual engine failures during cruise flight, resulting in a forced landing on soft terrain.

What happened

A twin-engine aircraft, which had been inactive for eight years, was being ferried to a pilot facilities location for a rebuild. During the cruise phase of the flight, the right engine failed. Following this failure, the propeller failed to feather. Due to the aircraft's inability to maintain altitude in that configuration, the pilot initiated a forced landing.

During the descent and forced landing sequence, the left engine also failed. The aircraft subsequently impacted soft terrain, which caused the landing gear to collapse and resulted in damage to the lower fuselage. There were no injuries reported.

The investigation

The investigation into the fuel system revealed that the left fuel tanks were empty at the time of the accident. Furthermore, the fuel line for the right outboard tank was found to be blocked. This specific tank had been selected when the right engine failed.

Additional maintenance and regulatory details noted during the investigation included that the last annual inspection of the aircraft had been conducted in 1982. The ferry permit used for this flight had expired two weeks prior to the accident. Additionally, a fuel tank had been replaced before the flight, and the pilot had applied tape to the filler cap.

Probable cause

The right engine failure was caused by a blocked fuel line in the right outboard tank, while the subsequent left engine failure was due to the empty state of the left fuel tanks.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1990-08-01 Piper PA-23-250 accident near Burns, OR?

An aircraft being ferried for reconstruction experienced dual engine failures during cruise flight, resulting in a forced landing on soft terrain.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1990-08-01 involved a Piper PA-23-250, registration N681M, operated by Robert M. Briggs, at Burns, OR.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The right engine failure was caused by a blocked fuel line in the right outboard tank, while the subsequent left engine failure was due to the empty state of the left fuel tanks.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001212X24133. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.

Loading the flight search…