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| Date: | Sunday 30 August 2020 |
| Time: | 13:45 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-24-250 Comanche |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N7469P |
| MSN: | 24-2660 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1961 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3325 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-540-A1D5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 4 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Coulter Field Airport (CFD/KCFD), Bryan, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Bryan-Coulter Field, TX (CFD/KCFD) |
| Bryan-Coulter Field, TX (CFD/KCFD) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot was taking three passengers for a local sightseeing flight. A security video at the airport showed the airplane took off from runway 15. There were no video recordings of or witnesses to the accident. The airplane wreckage was located on a flat grass field off of the departure end of runway 15 on airport property and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage.
An onsite examination of the airframe found the fuel tank selector handle in the right main position. The right main fuel cell was not damaged and did not contain fuel; however, fuel was likely available in the other three fuel tanks. Rotational signatures on the propeller were consistent with it not being driven at the time of impact. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Toxicology testing showed that the pilot had used the allergy medication cetirizine. Cetirizine may sometimes cause drowsiness, but whether cetirizine effects contributed to the accident could not be determined.
Based upon the available evidence, the lack of damage to the propeller is consistent with a loss of engine power and it is likely that the engine lost power shortly after takeoff. The reason for the loss of engine power was likely due to fuel starvation.
Probable Cause: A total loss of engine power on takeoff due to fuel starvation.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.kxxv.com/brazos/airplane-crashes-at-coulter-airfield-in-bryan
https://www.kwtx.com/2020/08/30/airplane-crash-reported-at-coulter-airfield-in-bryan/
NTSB
https://photos-e1.flightcdn.com/photos/retriever/1c2504f98433fb7b5789bf0d7f8a63fc51acc01a (photo)
Location
Images:
Photos: NTSB
Media:
NTSB is investigating Sunday’s crash in Bryan, TX involving a Piper PA24-250. The NTSB is not traveling to the scene of the crash at this time.
— NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) August 30, 2020
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Aug-2020 20:48 | Geno | Added |
| 30-Aug-2020 21:35 | Captain Adam | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 30-Aug-2020 21:38 | Captain Adam | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative, ] |
| 30-Aug-2020 22:00 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Nature, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 30-Aug-2020 22:00 | RobertMB | Updated [Damage, ] |
| 30-Aug-2020 23:36 | Captain Adam | Updated [Aircraft type, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 31-Aug-2020 15:21 | Captain Adam | Updated [Registration, Cn, Phase, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 31-Aug-2020 15:26 | RobertMB | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 31-Aug-2020 16:33 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Source, Embed code, ] |
| 01-Sep-2020 02:49 | Captain Adam | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 08-Sep-2020 12:44 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 28-Jun-2021 13:12 | aaronwk | Updated [Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 13-Jul-2022 03:38 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, Accident report, Photo, ] |
| 13-Jul-2022 03:38 | Captain Adam | Updated [Narrative, Photo, ] |
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