Piper PA-60-602P accident near Lynchburg, Virginia, January 15, 1999
On January 15, 1999 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-602P, registered N72EZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lynchburg, Virginia. 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
Fuel exhaustion for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 1999 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lynchburg, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-602P · all PA-60-602Ps on the register
- Registration
- N72EZ · no longer on the register · serial 60-8265002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While en route, the pilot noticed oil streaming out of the airplane's left engine cowling and secured the left engine. Approximately 3 miles from his destination, the right engine lost total power and the pilot performed a forced landing to a highway. Examination of the airplane 50 minutes after the accident revealed that both wings were separated outboard of the engines. There was no fuel or odor of fuel present in or around the wing fuel tanks, and approximately 1.5 gallons of fuel was drained from the airplane's fuselage fuel tank, which was not compromised. Examinations of both engines revealed a hole burnt through the number 6 piston of the left engine, and damage to the piston was consistent with detonation. A test run of the airplane's right engine did not reveal any pre-impact discrepancies which would have precluded normal engine operation. The airplane's total usable fuel capacity was 165.5 gallons. The airplane had been flown about 2 1/2 hours since it's last refueling, and the estimated fuel used was about 122.5 gallons. The airplane was equipped with a fuel flow indicating system; which when powered after the accident indicated that 40.5 gallons of fuel remained, and 124.1 gallons had been used since the last re-fueling.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,896 hours in all; 2,106 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,548 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 11, 1999; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,029 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO540-AA1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNS Lancaster PA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: LYH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from LYH, 4 miles away
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.
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.