Piper PA-18-150 N1668P

Summary

On 15 November 1997 at about 22:35 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N1668P was involved in an accident near Battle Ground, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one 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

15 November 1997 at 22:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Battle Ground, Washington, United States

Coordinates

45.8003, -122.4792

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N1668P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA98LA014

1 person was seriously injured.

The owner/pilot's failure to properly install the fuel selector valve after removal, subsequently leading to a false indication on the valve selector handle. This led to the pilot unintentionally closing the valve and starving the engine of fuel during the initial climb.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot removed the fuel selector valve handle assembly and had the placarded backing panel painted. During reinstallation, the pilot improperly placed the handle and pointer 90-degrees counterclockwise from the correct selector valve position. During the accident flight, the handle was placed in the right tank position indication, but the actual valve position was in the fuel shutoff position. The engine was subsequently starved of fuel and quit. The pilot initiated a forced landing onto wooded terrain and was seriously injured. Further exam of the valve revealed that it was improperly inspected by a mechanic, thus eliminating the detent function only. The engine fuel primer was found unlocked. Exam of the engine and airframe did not reveal any other preimpact mechanical discrepancies. The pilot had been denied a medical certificate due to an unexplained history of alcohol abuse. The FAA revoked the pilot's airman certificate for failure to provide blood test results from blood drawn after the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.