Piper PA 31P accident near East Brady, Pennsylvania, August 20, 2019
On August 20, 2019 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1973 Piper PA 31P, registered N90AP, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near East Brady, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of left engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2019 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- East Brady, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 31P Undesignat, built 1973 · all PA 31Ps on the register
- Registration
- N90AP · registry record · serial 31P-7300148
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On a cross-country flight during cruise, the left engine suddenly lost all power. The pilot stated he burned fuel from the inboard tanks for 30 minutes, then another 15 minutes on the outboard tanks before the loss of power. Unable to restore power the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. Testing of the left engine fuel servo and controller revealed the servo was not the correct part number for the engine, and the servo did not meet the high-end adjustment test. It is inconclusive that the fuel servo and controller were the cause of the complete loss of engine power. Postaccident examination of the left engine revealed no other evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The left-wing outboard and inboard tanks were found empty, the nacelle tank was full. The right-wing outboard tank was empty and the inboard and nacelle were full.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 850 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 850 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 10, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,239 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 7,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIGO-541 (piston); 280 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIGO-541 (piston); 107 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DYL Doylestown PA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: LOT Chicago/Romeoville IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 11:30 am from BTP, 16 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBTP 201530Z AUTO 19005KT 10SM BKN060 27/20 A3017 RMK T02700200 MADISHF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA19LA252.