Piper PA-34-200T N8729E

Summary

On 28 January 1999 at about 03:02 local time, a Piper PA-34-200T registered N8729E, operated by Javier H. Hinojosa, JR., was involved in an accident near Wharton, Texas, United States. 7 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured, 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 January 1999 at 03:02

Classification

Accident

Location

Wharton, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Wharton Municipal (5R5)

Coordinates

29.3100, -96.0903

Aircraft

Piper PA-34-200T

Registration

N8729E

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Javier H. Hinojosa, JR.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Brownsville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW99LA072

3 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to comply with the manufacturer's single engine landing checklist which resulted in the aircraft landing short of the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot reported a partial power loss to the right engine that 'could be...fuel starvation' during an IFR cross-country flight. During the visual approach to an alternate airport, the aircraft impacted trees short of the runway. The right auxiliary fuel pump switch was found on HI, the right fuel selector OFF, & the left fuel selector on X-FEED. Flaps & landing gear were extended. The right propeller was not feathered. The pilot reported the right engine experienced a 'mechanical fuel pump and/or aneroid' failure. The right auxiliary fuel pump was tested and found to pump fluid. Damage to the engine driven (mechanical) pump precluded testing. The engine driven fuel pump failure checklist states that the lack of fuel flow indication while on the HI auxiliary fuel pump position could indicate fuel exhaustion. The single-engine landing checklist calls for landing gear & flap extension when certain of making the airport. The checklist also calls for feathering the propeller of the inoperative engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.