N8442YPiper PA-30 · 1967

On April 15, 2008, approximately 0820 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-30, N8442Y, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Holbrook, Arizona. The private pilot received serious injuries and his pilot rated passenger received minor injuries. Environmental Technology Inc., Phoenix, Arizona, was operating the airplane under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country personal flight, which originated from Mesa, Arizona, approximately 50 minutes before the accident. A flight plan had not been filed, but the pilot reported that his destination was Holbrook, Arizona.

The pilot stated, in his initial interview and in his written statement, that the two main fuel tanks were "full to the bottom of the fill cap and the two inboard tanks had approximately 8 gallons in each side."

The pilot reported that approximately 40 minutes into the flight they were descending towards their destination when the right engine lost power. The pilot stated that, "I did not immediately feather the prop and shut down the engine because it appeared to be a fuel starvation problem and I thought I could probably get the engine started again." While the pilot was attempting to restart the right engine without success, the left engine lost power. Due to the low altitude, the pilot decided to land the airplane in a field.

The pilot rated passenger reported that the forced landing was well controlled, but the gear up touchdown was hard and the terrain was very rough. The airplane's empennage was bent down, and the nose was wrinkled up and back at the forward door support.

The aircraft salvage team personnel who recovered the airplane reported that they drained 27 gallons of fuel from each of the main tanks. Both auxiliary and wing tip tanks were empty. The right side fuel selector was located at 12 o'clock (between the MAIN and AUX positions) and the left side fuel selector was found at 3 o'clock, which is the cross-feed position.

Postaccident examination of the airplane by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the fuel lines leading to the engines were dry. The right engine crankshaft's flange was bent, but a test run of the left engine was successful.

In the aircraft's Service Manual, the manufacturer states that each wing had a main inboard fuel tank that held 30 gallons [27 usable], an auxiliary outboard fuel tank that held 15 gallons and a wing tip tank that held 15 gallons of fuel. Each engine's fuel selector is appropriately labeled LEFT and RIGHT, respectively, at their 12 o'clock location. Each MAIN tank selection points inboard, i.e., the left selector is at 1:30 position and the right selector is at 10:30 position. Conversely, during AUX tank use the two selectors point outboard, i.e., the left selector should be at the 10:30 position and the right selector should be at the 1:30 position. Additionally, the AUX selected position states LEVEL FLT. ONLY. A separate switch operates an electrically actuated valve, which permits the wing tip fuel to drain into the main tank.

The owner of the airplane said that the pilot had "a lot" of time in Cessna 421s. The Cessna 421 fuel tank selectors operate differently. The left engine's main tank fuel selection is at 10:30 and the right engine's main tank fuel selection is at 1:30. The owner believes that the pilot improperly positioned the fuel selectors so that they were on the aux tanks instead of the main tanks.

The pilot reported 3,478 hours in multi-engine airplanes, with 12 hours in the make and model airplane involved in the accident.

The FAA inspector reported that the pilot stated he had difficulty viewing the fuel selectors on the floor between the seats.