- Date
- September 6, 1983, 18:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Andover, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9LHPiper PA-28RT-201T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830906050479A
- Case key
- 35076
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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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
As the acft was climbing thru about 7000 ft on a hot day, the eng abruptly lost power. Several attempts were made to restart the eng, but to no avail. While attempting to restart, the plt noted that the fuel flow indication was at or near zero & the boost pump had no effect on the reading. All other eng readings appeared normal & the manifold pressure varied with the throttle position while the prop was windmilling. An emergency landing was made in an open field on rolling terrain, but the plt was unable to stop before it collided with tall corn at the end of the field. After stopping the plt turned the fuel selector off. Both fuel tanks were nearly full, but no fuel was found in the gascolator or eng fuel lines. When checked after the accident, fuel was free to flow from the tanks to the eng. Three 90 deg bends were noted in the fuel line btn the gascolator & elec boost pump. The acft had been setting in hi temps bfr tkof. Turbc enctrd drg clb. Pom rcmds low aux fuel pres for vapor suppression. Cond conducive to vapor lock
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9LH
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28RT-201T (PA-28RT-20)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-8031023
- Airframe hours
- 1,184
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360-FB, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Devon Industries
- Registered owner
- J. Lynn Helms
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 26, 1983 · 31 hours before
- Departed
- N43 · Easton, PA
- Destination
- 3B4 · Eliot, ME
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,440 total · 355 in this make and model · 7,036 as pilot in command · 211 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Observed at
- ABE, 32 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.