- Date
- November 13, 1992, 17:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- Red Hook, NY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N31634Piper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921113046689A
- Case key
- 11884
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's inadvertent deactivation of the electric fuel boost pump. A factor related to the accident was the failure of the engine driven fuel pump during takeoff.
Analysis
The flight instructor stated that during the initial climb after takeoff, he 'switched off the aircraft headlight.' The engine immediately lost all power and a forced landing was made. During the landing, the airplane collided with trees before stopping. An examination of the engine revealed that the engine driven fuel pump had failed. The electric fuel boost pump switch was located adjacent to the landing light switch; it was found in the off position. The boost pump was tested, and it operated properly.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31634
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7816570
- Airframe hours
- 5,379
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- George Drobot, Jr., doing business as Red Hook Air Services
- Registered owner
- George Drobot, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 10, 1992 · 43 hours before
- Departed
- 46N
- Airport
- 46N · Sky Park Airport, runway 19, 2,664 × 30 ft, asphalt
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
- 42
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 810 total · 300 in this make and model · 685 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 31 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- POU, 25 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.