- Date
- April 21, 1991, 10:50 local (15:50 UTC)
- Place
- Wadsworth, IL
- Injuries
- 4 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N651OPPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 14899
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 in command's failure to select the proper fuel tank and not performing emergency procedures when the engine ceased to run. A factor related to this accident was power transmissions wires located on the pilot's approach path to landing.
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 high performance single engine airplane was on a local sightseeing flight when the engine lost power. The pilot chose an unplowed, dirt, farm field in which to land. During the landing approach the airplane struck electrical power transmission lines. Witnesses stated that the airplane cartwheeled end over end and fell into the field. The on scene investigation revealed an empty right wing fuel tank and the left wing fuel tank was about 3/4 full. The fuel tank selector valve was found positioned on the right wing tank.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N651OP
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-1632
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A1A5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kazimierz Pajerski
- Registered owner
- Kazimierz Pajerski
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- C81 · Grayslake, IL
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,800 total · 80 in this make and model · 15 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- UGN, 3 nm away