Piper PA-31-T1040 accident near Portland, Maine, November 24, 1991
On November 24, 1991 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-T1040, registered N24894, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portland, Maine. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE EXCESSIVE FUEL PRESSURE DURING INFLIGHT FUEL TRANSFERRING, WHICH RESULTED IN THE RUPTURE OF THE WING TANK AND SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO THE WING. ALSO CAUSAL TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE FUEL TANK VENT SYSTEM AND THE INACCURATE FUEL QUANTITY SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 1991 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Portland, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-T1040 PA-31-T104 · all PA-31-T1040s on the register
- Registration
- N24894 · no longer on the register · serial 31-T-8275001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A FERRY FLIGHT WITH AN AUXILIARY FUEL TANK IN THE FUSELAGE FOR INCREASED RANGE. DURING FUEL TRANSFER FROM THE AUXILIARY TANK TO THE MAIN WING TANK, THE FUEL PRESSURE BECAME EXCESSIVE AND THE WING TANK RUPTURED. THE PILOT SAID THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGE WAS INACCURATE. THE WING TANK VENT SYSTEM WAS NOT ADEQUATE TO HANDLE THE EXCESSIVE FUEL BEING SUPPLIED BY THE AUXILIARY TANK. THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SOME FLIGHT CONTROL DIFFICULTY AFTER THE RUPTURE, BUT HE MANAGED TO LAND WITHOUT INCIDENT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,161 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 1, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 10,415 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6-11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southern Cross Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: EWR Newark NJ
- Destination: BGR Bangor ME
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 N24894 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.