Piper PA-32-300 accident near Polkton, North Carolina, January 6, 2005
On January 6, 2005, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N364BW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Polkton, North Carolina. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the failure of the engine-driven fuel pump, which resulted in fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 2005
- Place
- Polkton, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N364BW · no longer on the register · serial 32-7240005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost power in cruise flight at night, and the pilot's attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful. During forced landing, the airplane collided onto a berm. Examination revealed the right main fuel tank was empty, the electric fuel boost pump operated, and no mechanical defect was determined. The airplane's engine was disassembled, inspected, reassembled, and test run for 2 hours 15 minutes with no mechanical malfunction observed. The engine was reinstalled on the airplane, the airplane was returned to service, and the engine again lost power during a subsequent flight on February 8, 2005. Following second mishap, test bench examination of the engine-driven fuel pump revealed excessive fuel leakage from the shaft seal at the drive end of the pump. Disassembly examination of the unit revealed the rotor seal at the pump's drive end was worn beyond manufacturer's specifications, and wear and damage to the rotor interface with the drive coupling were observed.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,860 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 340 in the last 90 days; 125 in the last 30 days; 2,520 as pilot in command; 310 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,068.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 1, 2005; 6.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMYR Myrtle Beach SC at 11:45 pm
- Destination: KJQF Concord NC
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N364BW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.