Piper PA-31-350 accident near Goodland, Kansas, January 21, 2015
On January 21, 2015 at about 2:54 pm local time, a 1974 Piper PA-31-350, registered N66906, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Goodland, Kansas. 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
The pilot's improper fuel management and failure to conduct the engine failure emergency procedures and his improper conduct of the forced landing, which resulted in fuel starvation, a total loss of engine power, and the subsequent high-energy impact with power lines and terrain. Contributing to the accident was pilot fatigue.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 2015 · about 2:54 pm local time
- Place
- Goodland, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350, built 1974 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N66906 · no longer on the register · serial 31-7405197
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting a cargo flight in the airplane. The operator reported that, during taxi and takeoff, the pilot noted no issues with the airplane. During cruise flight, the left engine lost total power. The right engine then also lost total power, but the pilot failed to complete any of the required engine failure emergency procedures. He chose to perform a forced landing, during which the airplane impacted power lines and then a field, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. On-scene examination revealed that there was no apparent fuel smell nor fuel on the ground. During postaccident examination of the airplane, no useable fuel was found in the left and right outboard fuel tanks; however, 35 gallons of fuel were found in each of the two inboard fuel tanks. The fuel selectors were found in the "off" position. Further examination of the fuel system revealed that there was no fuel in the fuel lines leading to the left engine and that only about 2 teaspoons of fuel was present in the fuel inlet line to the right engine fuel strainer, indicating that the pilot had not properly managed the fuel, which led to fuel starvation to both engines. The examination revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Further, postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the pilot had not feathered both propellers, which would have increased the airplane's glide distance, and that he had not extended the flaps, which would have resulted in a slower touchdown speed and lower impact energy during the forced landing. Therefore, the pilot did not properly configure the airplane for the forced landing, which resulted in its high-energy impact with power lines and terrain. The pilot was on duty all night the day before the accident and had to reposition a flight at 0330, at which point he had been awake for about 15 hours. The pilot reported that, about 40 minutes into the flight, he was definitely starting to feel fatigued. Shortly later, the engine issues began. The pilot reported that he believed that a high level of fatigue, previous issues with another airplane he had flown that day, and a recent company airplane accident had "caused him to not think straight and not perform the proper emergency procedures for engine failure in flight."
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent
- Attempted remediation/recovery during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Physical › Alertness/Fatigue › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,628 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 1,395 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 29, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,082.5 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 22, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 10,984 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 10,979 hours total
- Operator: Key Lime Air
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO
- Destination: CBK Colby KS
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from GLD, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 7, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Correspondence 1 of 2 - FAA | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Correspondence 2 of 2 - FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N66906 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.