Piper PA-30 accident near Douglas, Georgia, August 23, 2010
On August 23, 2010 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N8734Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Douglas, Georgia (Douglas Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel contamination. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and inadequate maintenance of the fuel system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2010 · about 5:20 pm local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- Douglas, Georgia · Douglas Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N8734Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-1888
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane had been parked outside and not flown for about 1 year, except for a test flight conducted about 1 month prior to the accident. During a preflight inspection, the pilot observed water in the airplane's main fuel tanks, and debris in the right wingtip fuel tank. A series of engine ground run-ups and maintenance was conducted prior to the pilot attempting a test-flight. The airplane subsequently experienced a rough running left engine during the takeoff and impacted trees. Postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed the presence of water and corrosion in the fuel distribution system. Water was observed in both of the main fuel tank strainers and the left engine fuel injector. In addition, fuel drained from the airplane by recovery personnel contained water and unidentified debris. An annual inspection was performed on the airplane about 6 weeks prior to the accident, and additional maintenance was performed, which included flushing the fuel tanks and cleaning the fuel lines to each respective flow divider after the left engine "missed" during the test flight conducted about 1 month prior. The pilot had only accumulated about 22 hours of multiengine flight experience and lacked experience in the make and model of the accident airplane.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel contamination during initial climb defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition other cases naming the fuel system
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,465 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 3,304 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 19, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,936 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 2010; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DQH Douglas GA at 5:18 pm
- Destination: DQH Douglas GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 5:40 pm from DQH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on June 14, 2011. 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.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N8734Y: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche 880 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,848 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C 45 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: · as the NTSB recorded it
- Douglas Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Georgia 2,138 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Georgia 8,801 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA10LA438.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.