2012 Piper PA-34-220T accident at Quirnbach

Overview and flight details On 1 April 2012, a Piper Aircraft Corp. PA-34-220T, a six-seat, metal airframe with two piston engines and hydraulically retractable landing gear, was involved in an accident near Quirnbach. The aircraft, serial number 34-33131 and built in 1988, had 2,120 hours of operating time and was registered in Germany. The pilot was the owner and operator. The flight departed Siegerland (EDGS) at 16:36 local time under visual flight rules and landed at Koblenz-Winningen (EDRK) at 17:03. The return flight departed at 17:59. ## Fuel and preflight conditions The aircraft had been for sale and used only occasionally. Before the flight, the right tank was filled with 30 litres of Avgas 100 LL and the left with 60 litres, although the pilot estimated about 100 litres in each tank. Because the onboard battery capacity was insufficient, the engines were started with an external battery. During the flight, the pilot reported intermittent radio failure, which he associated with the low battery capacity. He also noticed a fuel quantity difference of about 8 to 15 litres between the tanks and placed the right fuel selector in crossfeed for five to eight minutes. ## Accident sequence Radar data showed the aircraft reached 3,000 feet AMSL at 18:03 and then entered a steady descent from about 18:06, with the radar track ending at 2,000 feet AMSL around 18:08. The pilot stated that the left engine failed in cruise and that he could not maintain altitude, feeling that the right engine was not producing full power. Due to the low altitude, he decided on an emergency landing without further troubleshooting. ## Damage and findings The aircraft struck a level, dry, firm grain field with low growth in a hilly, wooded area. Ground marks extended about 28 metres in direction 025°. The first ground contact was made by the left wingtip about 18 metres north of a road crossing the approach path. The fuselage and left wing were deformed, the left wing spar broke near the root, and the landing gear broke off. The right propeller blades were bent backward; the left propeller’s downward blade was bent backward, the upward blade was slightly deformed, and the third blade was stuck in the baggage compartment door. ## Post-accident investigation No fire occurred. No fuel, engine oil, or hydraulic oil contamination was found at the scene, and the tanks were undamaged. About 200 ml of water was drained from the right tank’s external drain valve. Fuel drained from the system included 0.9 litres from the left tank and lines and 94 litres from the right tank and lines. The left tank gauge read zero gallons, the right about 30 gallons, and the fuel flow indicator showed 99 litres remaining. The fuel selector valves were tested with compressed air and no malfunctions were found. ## Personnel The 69-year-old pilot held a German private pilot licence (PPL(A)) under JAR-FCL, first issued on 4 October 1984 and valid until 10 September 2013. He was rated for single- and multi-engine piston land aircraft, including instrument rating, with the multi-engine piston land rating valid until 7 August 2012. His class 2 medical certificate, first issued on 15 April 1984, was valid until 7 August 2012, with a vision limitation requiring glasses and a spare. His total aircraft experience was 845 hours, with about 500 hours on the PA-34 in the previous 20 years and 254 hours in the last ten years. In the last 90 days, he had made two takeoffs and landings.