- Date
- May 27, 1991, 12:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Surf Side Beach, SC
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6634WPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 8, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910527017219A
- Case key
- 8322
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 improper preflight inspection of the aircraft by the pilot, in that he failed to turn the aircraft fuel selector 'on' prior to starting the engine. A factor in the accident was the aircraft fuel selector valve leaking enough fuel to the engine in the 'off' position to run the engine at low power setting.
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
The flight departed the 4000 foot sod runway 22 at the private airfield in Surf Side Beach, south carolina. The aircraft crashed into tall trees four tenth's of a mile off the departure end of the runway. Witnesses stated that the aircraft had attempted to takeoff previously, had aborted the takeoff, and returned to the extreme end of the runway prior to this takeoff attempt. Investigation revealed that the aircraft fuel selector was in the 'off' position. No fuel was found in the aircraft gasolator or carburetor at the accident site. Further investigation revealed that fuel would not pass through the selector valve in the 'off' position until the electric fuel boost pump was turned 'on'. A test run of the aircraft engine revealed that with the electric fuel boost in the 'on' position, and the fuel selector valve in the 'off' position, the aircraft engine would start and operate at low power settings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6634W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-20732
- Airframe hours
- 3,244
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Riggott, Robert C. & Lois J.
- Registered owner
- Riggott, Robert C. & Lois J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 7, 1991 · 14 hours before
- Destination
- 49J · Hilton Head, SC
- Airport
- SC28 · Javika, runway 22, 4,000 × 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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 224 total · 14 in this make and model · 179 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MYR, 5 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.