Piper PA-60-600 N601JS

Summary

On 29 May 1999 at about 22:24 local time, a Piper PA-60-600 registered N601JS was involved in an accident near Montgomery, Alabama, United States. 6 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 May 1999 at 22:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Montgomery, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Montgomery Regional (MGM)

Coordinates

32.3047, -86.3907

Aircraft

Piper PA-60-600

Registration

N601JS

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Columbus

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL99LA098

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadvertent shutdown of the wrong engine that resulted in the total loss of engine power. A factor was the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation when the left fuel boost pump failed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the takeoff roll and initial climb both engines were producing normal power. As the airplane climbed through 150 feet, the left engine lost power. The pilot reported that he feathered the left propeller. He further stated that following the securing of the left engine, the right engine began to 'power down.' The pilot reported that he was unable to maintain a climb attitude and was forced to land on the airport in a grassy area. The subsequent examination of the cockpit disclosed that the left engine throttle was in the full forward position, and the right throttle lever was in the mid-range position. Both propeller levers were found full forward. The left engine mixture lever was in the full forward position, and the right mixture lever full aft, or lean, position. The functional check of both engines was conducted. Initially the left engine would not start, but after troubleshooting the fuel system, the left fuel boost pump was determined to have been defective. The 'loss of engine power after liftoff' checklist requires that the pilot identify the inoperative engine and to feather the propeller for the inoperative engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.