Piper PA-23C-250 accident near Lamar, Colorado, February 27, 1999
On February 27, 1999 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-23C-250, registered N6574Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lamar, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper use of the airplane's fuel tank selector switches. Factors were the fuel starvation to both engines, the pilot's lack of sleep, and the soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 1999 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lamar, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23C-250 · all PA-23C-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6574Y · no longer on the register · serial 27-3872
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot worked all day on February 26, 1999, and took a late night flight from Seattle, Washington, arriving in Fort Worth, Texas, at approximately 0530. He flew the accident airplane which he was planning to purchase, for approximately one hour. He departed Fort Worth Meacham International Airport, with 144 gallons of fuel on board, for Denver, Colorado. The pilot reported that he used all the fuel in the auxiliary tanks and switched back to the mains. Approximately 20 minutes later, the left engine lost power. He attempted to manipulate the fuel cross-feed system, and to restart the left engine. He turned the airplane towards Lamar, Colorado, and then the right engine lost power. During the forced landing, the nose wheel landing gear separated from the airplane, and subsequently damaged the nose cone and both engine mounts. Postaccident examination of the main fuel tanks revealed that approximately 8 gallons had been used from each. No evidence was found during the investigation to indicate that there were any abnormalities in the fuel feed system.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,300 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 5,100 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,753 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 1998; 38 hours since
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTW Fort Worth TX at 3:10 pm
- Destination: APA Denver CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from LAA, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N6574Y 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.