Piper PA-31-310 Navajo crash, May 25, 2003 (4 killed), Wo...
Piper PA-31-310 Navajo accident on May 25, 2003 near Woodruff-Lakeland, Wisconsin, United States with 4 fatalities. Cause: The pilot failed to follow...
- Date: May 25, 2003
- Aircraft: Piper PA-31-310 Navajo
- Location: Woodruff-Lakeland, Wisconsin, United States
- Fatalities: 4
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: The pilot failed to follow the before-takeoff checklist and selected the auxiliary fuel tanks, causing fuel starvation of the left engine. Loss of control followed from not maintaining minimum controllable airspeed; trees and an unsuccessful engine restart were contributing factors.
The Navajo took off from Woodruff with the pilot having selected the auxiliary tanks, which the flight manual prohibits for takeoff. The left engine starved of fuel, the airplane lost minimum control speed and crashed into trees about 3,500 feet beyond the runway, then burned. All four occupants died.