Plane Crash List

Piper PA-24-250 N7851P

8 May 1992 · Falmouth, Kentucky, United States · Minor injuries

Summary

On 8 May 1992 at about 00:28 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N7851P, operated by Douglas J. Deszell, was involved in an accident near Falmouth, Kentucky, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 00:28
Classification
Accident
Location
Falmouth, Kentucky, United States
Nearest airport
Gene Snyder (KY62)
Coordinates
38.6702, -84.3304
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-250
Registration
N7851P
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Douglas J. Deszell
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Chattanooga → Toledo
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
BFO92LA055

People

3 people had minor injuries.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
4 0 0 3 1

Probable cause

THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE AIRPLANE'S ALTITUDE AND DISTANCE IN REFERENCE TO THE RUNWAY. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FUEL SYSTEM LEAK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

n7851P DEPARTED WITH 90 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT NOTED THAT FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS HIGH. ALL FOUR OCCUPANTS COULD SMELL FUEL THROUGHOUT THE CABIN. APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AFTER DEPARTURE THE ENGINE QUIT AND WAS RESTARTED. THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO LAND AT AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FINAL APPROACH WAS HIGH AND EAST. A 20 KNOT TAILWIND EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE LANDING. THE AIRPLANE OVERSHOT THE RUNWAY, CONTACTED TREES AND CRASHED. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK, 3 GALLONS IN THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS, AND THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK CONTAINED SOME FUEL, BUT THE QUANTITY COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE RIGHT FULL TANK LINES WERE FOUND SEPARATED FROM THE FUEL TANK AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK LINES WERE INTACT. THE ENGINE-DRIVEN FUEL PUMP, QUICK DRAIN, FUEL SELECTOR VALVE, FUEL TANK CAPS AND LEFT FUEL TANK EXHIBITED NO ANOMALIES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-24 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
19 Dec 1992 Piper PA-24-180
N6185P
Gaylord, Michigan, United States John C Myers & Clare R Colwell Fatal 2
16 Mar 1992 Piper PA-24-180
N6863P
Longmont, Colorado, United States Pete Peters No injuries -
8 Jun 1992 Piper PA-24-260
N9307P
Opa Locka, Florida, United States Joseph A. Kreutle Minor injuries -
25 Oct 1992 Piper PA-24-180
N6345P
Ludington, Michigan, United States Zeeland Aero Club, Inc. No injuries -
19 Apr 1992 Piper PA-24-180
N5112P
Moontown, Alabama, United States Akins, Robert D. No injuries -
27 Nov 1992 Piper PA-24
N6115P
Rialto, California, United States Kinney, Elmer L. No injuries -

All 2,700 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
19 Aug 1992 Benson-Callaway B-80
N852DC
Paducah, Kentucky, United States
no coordinates
IRA D.farrington No injuries -
6 Jul 1992 Piper PA-34-200T
N188AL
Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States Alexandria Aviation Inc. Fatal 3
23 Mar 1992 James D Riehm ROTORWAY EXEC
N191JD
Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States James Dennis Riehm Fatal 1
19 Mar 1992 Boeing 747-123
N681UP
Louisville, Kentucky, United States United Parcel Service No injuries -
26 Dec 1992 Cessna 177
N2325Y
Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States Pettygrove, JAY J. Serious injuries -
2 Jan 1992 Piper PA-28-180
N40799
Glasgow, Kentucky, United States Span Tech Inc. No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States