20020903037539A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18 · Belmar/Farmingd, NJ · September 3, 2002

Date: September 3, 2002 · 11:00 local
Place: Belmar/Farmingd, NJ
Airport: Allaire Airport
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N5428H
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC02LA181
Reported as: Piper PA18
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,280 total1,000 in this make and model270 in the last 90 days

N5428HRegistered now · Piper PA-18S/N 18-19 · Built 1963 Airframe modelPiper PA-18 Engine modelContinental C90 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot departed blm runway 32 and climbed to 1200 MSL where he leveled off and performed the after takeoff checklist. Company procedure calls for switching from left fuel tank to right fuel tank. Shortly after switching tanks pilot experienced loss of power and attempted restart utilizing full throttle, mixture rich, carb heat on, and switched back to left fuel tank. Pilot was unable to restore power and turned back towards blm but realized he would not make it and elected to land in a soccer field approximately 2.3 statute miles off the departure end of runway 14 on a bearing of 137 degrees from the airport. Aircraft struck a chain link fence and incurred substantial damage to left elevator, and upper right firewall. Examination of fuel on-site revealed blue 100LL in the right tank, and a red colored fluid in the left tank, carburetor, and engine sump. Personnel of aerial sign company stated that marvel mystery oil is added to the left tank on the first flight of the day.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT DEPARTED BLM RUNWAY 32 AND CLIMBED TO 1200 MSL WHERE HE LEVELED OFF AND PERFORMED THE AFTER TAKEOFF CHECKLIST. COMPANY PROCEDURE CALLS FOR SWITCHING FROM LEFT FUEL TANK TO RIGHT FUEL TANK. SHORTLY AFTER SWITCHING TANKS PILOT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER AND ATTEMPTED RESTART UTILIZING FULL THROTTLE, MIXTURE RICH, CARB HEAT ON, AND SWITCHED BACK TO LEFT FUEL TANK. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER AND TURNED BACK TOWARDS BLM BUT REALIZED HE WOULD NOT MAKE IT AND ELECTED TO LAND IN A SOCCER FIELD APPROXIMATELY 2.3 STATUTE MILES OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 14 ON A BEARING OF 137 DEGREES FROM THE AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT STRUCK A CHAIN LINK FENCE AND INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO LEFT ELEVATOR, AND UPPER RIGHT FIREWALL. EXAMINATION OF FUEL ON-SITE REVEALED BLUE 100LL IN THE RIGHT TANK, AND A RED COLORED FLUID IN THE LEFT TANK, CARBURETOR, AND ENGINE SUMP. PERSONNEL OF AERIAL SIGN COMPANY STATED THAT MARVEL MYSTERY OIL IS ADDED TO THE LEFT TANK ON THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC02LA181Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBelmar, NJThe improper use of an fuel additive which resulted in a power loss. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain.Sep 3, 2002 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5428H · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19780530011339ATo Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) · Greenfield, OKMade tight 270 at low alt aftr tkof.May 30, 1978 · Destroyed · 1 fatal