20040422008749A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA18150 · Minneapolis, MN · April 22, 2004

Date: April 22, 2004 · 07:40 local
Place: Minneapolis, MN
Airport: Crystal Airport
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N82943
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI04CA108
Reported as: Piper PA18150
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 900 total15 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

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 changed fuel selector just prior to takeoff after doing runup. Fuel was interrupted either by being placed in the off position or in between tanks. Unable to determine since pilot says he changed the fuel selector after takeoff as part of an emergency landing routine.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT CHANGED FUEL SELECTOR JUST PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AFTER DOING RUNUP. FUEL WAS INTERRUPTED EITHER BY BEING PLACED IN THE OFF POSITION OR IN BETWEEN TANKS. UNABLE TO DETERMINE SINCE PILOT SAYS HE CHANGED THE FUEL SELECTOR AFTER TAKEOFF AS PART OF AN EMERGENCY LANDING ROUTINE.

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 CHI04CA108Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportMinneapolis, MNThe pilot not verifying the position of the fuel selector prior to the takeoff, resulting in the loss of engine power during initial climb due to fuel starvation. Factors to the accident were the power pole and the trees.Apr 22, 2004 · Substantial damage