Piper PA-23-250 accident near Templeton, Massachusetts, July 22, 1991
On July 22, 1991 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N54819, was substantially damaged in an accident near Templeton, Massachusetts (Gardner Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION INDUCED POWER LOSS ON FIRST THE LEFT ENGINE DUE TO A FAILED FUEL FITTING AND THEN THE RIGHT ENGINE DUE TO A WORN FUEL FITTING. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1991 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Templeton, Massachusetts · Gardner Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N54819 · no longer on the register · serial 27-7554116
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DAY CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF LEFT ENGINE POWER. NORMAL RESTART PROCEDURES WHICH INCLUDED A SELECTION OF THE CROSS-FEED POSITION FAILED TO RESTORE POWER TO THE LEFT ENGINE. THE PILOT DIVERTED TO AN EN ROUTE AIRPORT FOR A SINGLE ENGINE APPROACH AND LANDING. AS THE PILOT INITIATED A SINGLE ENGINE GO-AROUND, A COMPLETE POWER LOSS OCCURRED TO THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND TERRAIN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BROKEN FUEL FITTING ON THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR UNIT AND WORN THREADS ON A FUEL FITTING ON THE RIGHT ENGINE. THIS RESULTED IN THE FUEL STARVATION POWER LOSS TO BOTH ENGINES.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EEN Keene NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.