Accident Sequence
On 6th January 2023 at approximately 10:15 am EST, a Piper PA-23-250 aircraft with United States registration N13984 departed Exuma International Airport (MYEF), George Town, Exuma, Bahamas, on a private flight to Hog Cay (MYEY). Three persons were on board. Shortly after takeoff from runway 12, during climb at about 250 feet AGL, the pilot reported a loss of power to the right engine, followed quickly by a loss of power to the left engine. The pilot selected a suitable landing area, observing cleared land to the right of runway 30's threshold, and aligned the aircraft on a heading of approximately 130°. During descent, the left wingtip struck several trees before the aircraft hit the ground. The aircraft spun and came to rest heading due west (approximately 270°) at coordinates 23°33'16.70"N 75°51'48.80"W. The pilot and passengers exited the aircraft and contacted emergency services via mobile phone; no injuries resulted.
Aircraft Information
The aircraft was a Piper PA-23-250, serial number 27-4602, registered to Smith Aircraft Holdings. It was a six-seat, twin-engine, all-metal aircraft with retractable landing gear, equipped with normally aspirated engines. Fuel was stored in four thirty-six gallon flexible fuel cells located outboard of the engines. A pressure crossfeed system allowed fuel transfer between tanks.
Fuel System Observations
On-scene inspection revealed the following cockpit control positions: mixture levers full rich, propeller levers high RPM, left throttle open, right throttle aft, left and right electric fuel pumps on, master switch off, pressure crossfeed on, both fuel selectors positioned to outboard, magnetos off, flaps down, landing gear down. The right fuel cell bladder was intact and contained a quantity of liquid with the odor of aviation gasoline; quantity not determined. A fluid trail believed to be aviation fuel was observed on the ground near the inverted left wing.
Pilot Information
The pilot held an FAA commercial pilot certificate issued 29 August 2008, with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He held a first-class medical certificate issued May 2021 with the limitation "must wear corrective lenses."
Maintenance Review
Review of aircraft maintenance documents indicated that the engines and airframe were maintained in compliance with US Code of Federal Aviation Regulations Part 91.409(a)(1). No prior indications of malfunctions were reported by the pilot.
Investigation and Analysis
The investigation focused on fuel management due to the rare occurrence of dual engine power loss. Fuel purchase records showed 46.1 gallons of 100LL Avgas added before the flight, but distribution among tanks was not documented. The observed cockpit configuration—particularly the crossfeed in the ON position and both fuel selectors on outboard—deviated from the manufacturer's recommended takeoff and landing procedure, which specifies fuel be pumped directly from tanks to respective engines with crossfeed off. The analysis suggested that the combination of fuel distribution, remaining fuel quantity, and crossfeed position may have created conditions conducive to fuel flow interruption. No mechanical malfunctions were identified.