Plane Crash List

Piper PA-24-180 N5839P

6 July 1994 · Ellisburg, New York, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 6 July 1994 at about 13:00 local time, a Piper PA-24-180 registered N5839P was involved in an accident near Ellisburg, New York, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. 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 13:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Ellisburg, New York, United States
Coordinates
43.8903, -75.6703
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-180
Registration
N5839P
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Leroy → Alexander Bay
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
NYC94LA114

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
4 0 0 0 4

Probable cause

A FUEL OR FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEM THAT WAS PROBABLY RELATED TO THE PILOT/OWNER'S FAILURE TO ASSURE PROPER MAINTENANCE AND/OR INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE BEFORE FLIGHT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: SOFT TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS TO BALANCE THE FUEL LOAD. AS SOON AS HE DID THIS, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY. HE RETURNED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE FIRST TANK AND THE ENGINE PERFORMED NORMALLY. HE ELECTED TO NOT TRY SWITCHING TANKS AGAIN. HIS FUEL SUPPLY WAS TOO LOW TO REACH THE DESTINATION AIRPORT WITH THE FUEL REMAINING IN THE ONE TANK. HE COULD NOT LOCATE ANOTHER AIRPORT AT WHICH TO LAND, SO HE ELECTED TO PERFORM A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED SOFT TERRAIN AND THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, DAMAGING THE WING SPAR. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT REGISTERED AND DID NOT HAVE AN AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE. RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED ON JANUARY 6, 1992. THE PILOT WAS INTERVIEWED THE FIRST DAY, BUT HE DID NOT RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR COMPLETION OF THE PILOT/OPERATOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-24 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
21 Feb 1994 Piper PA-24-250
N6253P
Kinston, North Carolina, United States
no coordinates
Shnur, Morris No injuries -
27 Sep 1994 Piper PA-24-260
N8707P
Fullerton, California, United States
no coordinates
- Serious injuries -
2 Apr 1994 Piper PA-24-180
N5704P
Boone, North Carolina, United States - No injuries -
10 Sep 1994 Piper PA-24-250
N55GV
North Anson, Maine, United States
no coordinates
- Minor injuries -
24 May 1994 Piper PA-24-250
N5512P
Foley, Alabama, United States Lowdermilk, Stephen M. Minor injuries -
3 Oct 1994 Piper PA-24-250
N8397F
Montgomery, New York, United States - Fatal 1

All 2,700 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
30 Oct 1994 Piper PA-28-180C
N9235J
Nunda, New York, United States Raymond J. Marshall No injuries -
2 Aug 1994 Piper PA-25-260
N4887Y
Crown Point, New York, United States - Minor injuries -
6 Aug 1994 Aeronca 11AC
N3441E
Schuylerville, New York, United States - Serious injuries -
6 Aug 1994 Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415C
N94151
Scriba, New York, United States - No injuries -
4 Sep 1994 Beechcraft C35
N5291C
Rhinebeck, New York, United States - No injuries -
6 Sep 1994 Cessna 152-II
N80235
Enfield, New York, United States - Serious injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States