20100820043379A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-22-150 · Tunkhannock, PA · August 20, 2010

Date
August 20, 2010 · 16:30 local
Place
Tunkhannock, PA
Airport
Skyhaven
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N4850A
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA10LA439
Reported as
Piper PA-22-150
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
133 total3 in this make and model30 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.

While operating under 14 CFR part 91 conducting flight instruction. After taking off from runway 01 at skyhaeaven airport (76N). The pilot reported loss of engine power. Made preperations for emergency landing in a river off the end of the runway. During the emegency, the pilot switched fuel tanks from the right to the left tank. There was not suffcient time for the engine to restart do to the low altitude at the time of power loss. Aircraft came to rest in the river partially submerged upside down. Weather was not a factor and the occupents had minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 CONDUCTING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION. AFTER TAKING OFF FROM RUNWAY 01 AT SKYHAEAVEN AIRPORT (76N). THE PILOT REPORTED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. MADE PREPERATIONS FOR EMERGENCY LANDING IN A RIVER OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. DURING THE EMEGENCY, THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS FROM THE RIGHT TO THE LEFT TANK. THERE WAS NOT SUFFCIENT TIME FOR THE ENGINE TO RESTART DO TO THE LOW ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF POWER LOSS. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE RIVER PARTIALLY SUBMERGED UPSIDE DOWN. WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR AND THE OCCUPENTS HAD MINOR INJURIES.

NTSB investigation

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