20070429006809I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-17 · Monroe Township, PA · April 29, 2007

Date: April 29, 2007 · 13:15 local
Place: Monroe Township, PA
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N4816H
Reported as: Piper PA17
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,075 total900 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days

N4816HRegistered now · Piper PA-17S/N 17-114 · Built 1948 Airframe modelPiper PA-17 Engine modelContinental C85 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) While enroute from mifflintown, PA (P34) to tunkhannock, PA (76N) at 5,500 ft., pilot switched fuel tanks and engine RPM began to vary widely, changing back to original tank did not fix problem. RPM began to decrease and pilot elected to land in farmer's field. Aircraft sustained minor damage when right main gear collapsed. There were no injuries. Examination revealed water and rust contamination in fuel supply.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE ENROUTE FROM MIFFLINTOWN, PA (P34) TO TUNKHANNOCK, PA (76N) AT 5,500 FT., PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO VARY WIDELY, CHANGING BACK TO ORIGINAL TANK DID NOT FIX PROBLEM. RPM BEGAN TO DECREASE AND PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN FARMER'S FIELD. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE WHEN RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. EXAMINATION REVEALED WATER AND RUST CONTAMINATION IN FUEL SUPPLY.