No fatalities

28 May 2013: PIPER PA-31-350 — SEFTON DONALD H — Page, AZ

Page, AZ, United States

On 28 May 2013, a PIPER PA-31-350 operated by SEFTON DONALD H was involved in an aviation accident near Page, AZ. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Fuel exhaustion leading to loss of engine power. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A twin-engine airplane experienced dual engine failures due to fuel exhaustion about 10 nm from its destination, resulting in a forced landing in the desert. The right engine separated and the left wing buckled, causing substantial damage.

Incident Overview

According to the pilot of a twin-engine airplane, the flight was approximately 4.5 hours into the journey and about 10 nautical miles from the intended destination when the left low boost warning light illuminated. Approximately 20 seconds later, the left engine ceased operation, prompting the pilot to feather the propeller. About one minute after the left engine failure, the right low boost light illuminated, and 20 seconds thereafter, the right engine also quit. The pilot feathered the right propeller and proceeded to execute a forced landing in a desert area located about 5 miles east of the destination.

Aircraft Damage

During the accident sequence, the right engine separated from the airplane, and the left wing buckled. These failures resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft.

Pilot's Report

The pilot reported that the airplane had run out of fuel and that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable cause

Fuel exhaustion leading to loss of engine power.

Contributing factors

Pilot