NTSB Factual Report

On October 19, 2001, at 2120 central daylight time, a Piper PA-30, twin engine airplane, N8642Y, struck transmission lines and the terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Ozona, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airline transport pilot and the three passengers received serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight with a planned refueling stop at San Angelo, Texas. The personal flight departed Lajitas, Texas, approximately 2020.

Witnesses located at the Lajitas Airport, reported that the airplane landed at Lajitas at 1930, on the unlighted 4,500-foot asphalt runway 04. One witness stated that sunset occurred at 1918, with dark night (1/4 moonlight) conditions. Skies were clear with a light breeze. Witnesses/local authorities reported that the airplane departed the airport to the east and climbed to the east/northeast.

The pilot reported that he flew the airplane from the Addison Airport, Dallas, Texas, to Lajitas, Texas, where the three passengers boarded the airplane for the return flight to Fort Worth. Fuel was not available at Lajitas. During the takeoff initial/climb, the pilot maintained full power on the engines until reaching cruise altitude. En route, at 9,500 feet msl, the pilot requested and received flight following from Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center (ABQ ARTCC) and Houston ARTCC. When the flight was in the vicinity of the Ozona Municipal Airport, the pilot made a decision to land the airplane and refuel. The pilot reported that he tried to activate the pilot controlled runway lights on a frequency of 122.8 Megahertz (KHz) and "there were no lights or rotating beacon operating at the airport." After approximately 20 minutes of flying over Ozona and looking for the airport north of town, the left engine lost power due to fuel starvation. The pilot secured the left engine. Approximately 10 minutes later, the right engine lost power due to fuel starvation. Upon seeing a vacant lot, the pilot initiated the emergency landing procedures and extended the landing gear. During the approach, the upper portion of the vertical stabilizer struck power lines, the airplane nosed down, and subsequently, the airplane slid to a stop in the vacant lot.

Local authorities at Ozona reported that the night was "clear with light wind." The pilot reported dark night light conditions, clear skies, visibility 30 miles with no restrictions to visibility, and the wind calm. The utility company reported the power outage occurred about 2120.

A review of the Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) data revealed that at 2049:55, when Houston ARTCC received a handoff from Albuquerque ARTCC, the airplane was approximately 47 nautical miles from Lajitas at latitude 29 degrees 04.06 minutes North, longitude 103 degrees 02.06 minutes West. The flight altitude readout was 9,500 feet with an en route ground speed of 150 knots. At 2106, the aircraft was approximately 25 nautical miles from Ozona, Texas, when the pilot informed the controller that he would land the airplane at Ozona and refuel. At 2112, the airplane, at an altitude of 7,000 feet msl, was approximately 18 nautical miles from Ozona, when the Houston ARTCC controller tried to contact the pilot to terminate the flight following procedures and clear the pilot for a frequency change; however, the pilot did not respond. The controller continued to track the aircraft, and at 2017:21, the airplane, at an altitude of 4,000 feet msl (1,500 feet agl) was approximately 8 nautical miles from Ozona.

At the time of the accident, the airline transport rated pilot held airplane multiengine, single-engine, and instrument ratings. The pilot held a third class medical certificate, issued on August 24, 2000, with no limitations. On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB 6120.1/2) the pilot reported 2,879.4 hours of accumulated flight time, of which 1,510.1 hours was in multiengine airplanes. The pilot reported 607.8 hours of accumulated flight time in the make and model of the accident airplane, of which 11.4 was in the previous thirty days. The pilot's last biennial flight review was performed in September 2001 in a single-engine airplane.

A review of the maintenance records and FAA data by the FAA inspector revealed that the 1968 model Piper PA-30, serial number 30-1784, was purchased by the current owner on October 17, 2001. Both engines were Lycoming model IO-320-C1A, and each engine was equipped with the Hartzell propeller, model HC-E2YL-2BSF. The records indicated that the aircraft had accumulated 5,509.3 hours, the left engine 1,514.5 hours since major overhaul, and the right engine time 5,509.3 hours when the most recent annual inspection was performed on June 14, 2001.

The Ozona Municipal Airport (OZA), located approximately 1 mile north of Ozona, is owned and operated by the City of Ozona, Texas. Airport elevation is 2,381 feet. OZA is a non-towered airport with a single runway (runway 16/34). Runway 16/34 is an asphalt runway, 6,000 feet long, and 75 feet wide. A preset timer operates the runway lights at the low intensity and the taxiway lights; however, the intensity of the runway lights may be changed when the pilot keys the airplane microphone over the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) 122.8 KHz.

Witnesses, located at and in the vicinity of the Ozona Municipal Airport, reported the runway lights were on at the time they observed the airplane maneuvering near the airport. One witness stated to the best of her knowledge "all lights on [the] runway and [the rotating] beacon were working." On October 21, 2001, the FAA inspector observed the operation of the runway lights (frequency 122.8 KHz) and the rotating beacon. He reported the runway lights and beacon were operational.

Local authorities and the FAA inspector, responding to the site, found the airplane approximately 1 1/4 mile south and 1/4 mile west of the airport runway, resting upright in a parking lot approximately 100 feet beyond downed transmission lines. The upper 6 inches of the vertical stabilizer exhibited striations consistent with the size of the transmission cables. The right engine was separated from the firewall. The left propeller was feathered and the right propeller exhibited "no evidence of power." One main landing gear was found approximately 6 feet prior to the resting position of the airplane. No evidence of fuel was found in either the area surrounding the accident site or in the aircraft's fuel tanks. No mechanical discrepancies were found that would have prevented operation of the airplane prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause

The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion resulting from the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane. Contributing factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and the dark night conditions.