- Date
- May 8, 1990, 08:05 local (12:05 UTC)
- Place
- Hilton Head, SC
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9538JPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900508014789A
- Case key
- 8128
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel system through inadvertant selection of the 'off' position of the fuel selector valve handle.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost power and the airplane collided with terrain about 1/4 mile from the runway. The fuel selector valve handle was found in the 'off' position. Piper service bulletin no. 840, which incorporated a new fuel selector valve cover and mating handle (to preclude inadvertent selection of the 'off' position) was not complied with. The pilot had logged only 1.2 hours in this make and model prior to the accident. Inspection of the aircraft and engine did not reveal any evidence of inflight malfunction or failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9538J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-3666
- Airframe hours
- 2,396
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jimison, Sandra H.
- Registered owner
- Sandra H Jimison
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 11, 1990 · 9 hours before
- Airport
- 49J · Hilton Head Island, runway 21, 4,300 × 75 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 211 total · 1 in this make and model · 156 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- 49J, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9538J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.