Piper PA-28-140 N7498R

Summary

On 3 March 1995 at about 22:28 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N7498R, operated by Reinken, Stephen, was involved in an accident near Charleston, South Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 March 1995 at 22:28

Classification

Accident

Location

Charleston, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

32.8596, -79.9791

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N7498R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Reinken, Stephen

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Elizabeth City → Savannah

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL95LA056

2 people had minor injuries.

The failure of the position washer in the fuel selector valve, which resulted in the fuel starvation of the engine.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FUELED PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE. ABOUT 2 HOURS AFTER DEPARTURE, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. HE STATED THAT THE FUEL PRESSURE DROPPED, AND HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER, AND THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO ATTEMPT AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A HIGHWAY. DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES, AND CRASHED INTO THE TERRAIN. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SELECTOR VALVE REVEALED THAT THE DETENT WASHER WAS BROKEN, AND THAT 1/4 OF THE WASHER WAS MISSING. THERE WAS NO NOTICEABLE DETENT, THE SELECTOR ROTATED FREELY, AND WAS EASILY MOVED TO AN IN-BETWEEN TANKS OR 'OFF' POSITION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.