- Date
- October 17, 1987, 09:37 local (13:37 UTC)
- Place
- Hammondsport, NY
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7817HPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 3, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19871017078769A
- Case key
- 36098
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 Piper PA-12 experienced a loss of power and made an off airport landing. During the landing, the aircraft impacted in a corn field. Examination of the aircraft did not disclose any malfunctions or mechanical failures. Auto fuel was being used at the time of the accident. An FAA study predicts that vapor lock is mostapt to occur in a hot engine, under high fuel flows, low cooling air flow, and when the reid vapor pressure is higher than 7 PSI (auto fuel in winter is typically 15 PSI).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7817H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-713
- Airframe hours
- 47
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Seth Carlton Myers
- Registered owner
- Seth Carlton Myers
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 5, 1987
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
- 62
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown, Invalid Medical for flight
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 710 total · 710 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.