NTSB CHI91LA273 — 1991-09-24 · COLUMBUS, Nebraska, United States

N5SL has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (WACO CLASSIC AIRCRAFT YMF-F5C, built 2018), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

N5SL Piper PA-31-350 None

Probable cause & findings

IMPROPER REFUELING BY GROUND PERSONNEL AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT.

Factual narrative

THE TWIN ENGINE (PISTON) AIRPLANE LOST ALL POWER SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A CULTIVATED FIELD. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN FUELED THE PREVIOUS NIGHT BY A REFUELER WHO THOUGHT THE AIRPLANE WAS TURBINE POWERED AND SUBSEQUENTLY PUT JET FUEL IN THE TANKS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_CHI91LA273.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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