Accident Overview
On December 11, 2019, about 0822 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registration N2822F, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Deer Valley Airport (DVT), Phoenix, Arizona. The pilot sustained minor injuries, and the passenger was not injured. The airplane was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight History
The pilot reported that on the day before the accident, he and the passenger refueled the airplane, with the fuel gauges indicating 40 gallons per side. He did not use a dipstick or visually verify the fuel quantities. The pilot then conducted a series of touch-and-go landings at Glendale Municipal Airport (GEU) for currency before the passenger boarded. They flew to Sedona Airport (SEZ), where the pilot dropped off the passenger and continued to Payson Airport (PAN) for the night.
On the accident morning, the pilot flew from PAN to SEZ to pick up the passenger. He did not shut down either engine during the stop but performed a runup check before departure. Shortly after departure, they changed their destination to DVT and established flight-following north of Black Canyon City. The pilot noticed the left fuel tank indicated 22 gallons and the right tank 20 gallons. He decided to demonstrate the fuel cross-feed system, switching the right engine fuel selector valve to cross-feed to draw fuel from the left tank to the right engine. He held the selector valve for a few minutes intending to return it to the forward position but had no specific memory of doing so.
Engine Power Loss and Forced Landing
The tower controller vectored the pilot for landing on runway 7R. While on final approach, the pilot began to apply power slightly but realized both engines had lost power. Despite troubleshooting—including verifying both fuel selector valves were in the forward position—he could not restore engine power. He initiated a forced landing to a nearby road. During the landing sequence, the airplane struck a powerline and unoccupied vehicles before coming to rest upright on a road about one mile west of DVT. The pilot added that he had no memory of whether the right fuel selector valve was in the cross-feed position at the time he verified the selector positions.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the recovered wreckage showed the fuselage mostly intact, with the forward portion bent downward and partially separated. The right wing separated at the wing root; the left wing and right stabilator were cut by recovery personnel for transport. Recovery personnel reported about 2 to 4 ounces of fuel removed from the left-wing fuel tank; no fuel was observed in the right-wing tank, though a fuel spill was noted on the ground under the wing. Both fuel selector valves were found in the OFF position.
Fuel System Testing
The left fuel tanks (inboard and outboard) were intact, but the bladder tank between them was breached on the upper part. The bladder was sealed for testing. With no power applied, the left fuel gauge displayed about 9 gallons; with power applied, it indicated 14 to 15 gallons. Water was added in 5-gallon increments until the gauge showed 40 gallons. The right-wing fuel tanks were breached, preventing functional testing of the sender units; the senders were removed and installed in the left wing. With no power, the left fuel gauge displayed 0 gallons and fully deflected left; with power, it showed 0 gallons and appeared fully deflected. Water was added until the gauge indicated 40 gallons. Test results for both wings indicated the fuel gauges did not accurately reflect fuel quantities.
Engine and Maintenance Review
Examination of the left and right engines revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. Review of airframe and engine maintenance records showed no evidence of any of the four fuel sender units being replaced or worked on since the airplane was manufactured.