Accident Piper PA-24-250 Comanche N7469P,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 240697
 
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Date:Sunday 30 August 2020
Time:13:45
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA24 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
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 Engines O-540-A1D5
Fatalities:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 4
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)
Destination airport:Bryan-Coulter Field, TX (CFD/KCFD)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
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:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CEN20LA370
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 10 months
Download report: Final report

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:

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
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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