- Date
- April 1, 1991, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wamic, OR
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7119WPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910401008109A
- Case key
- 41403
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's selection of an empty fuel tank for takeoff.
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 engine surged and lost power. The pilot made a left turn to land on a taxiway and contacted the left wing first on the ground. Post crash inspection of the wreckage revealed that the left fuel tank was full while the right fuel tank was empty of fuel. The fuel selector was found positioned to the right fuel tank.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7119W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-912
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A3A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Willis L. Driver
- Registered owner
- Willis L. Driver
- Destination
- RDM · Redmond, OR
- Airport
- Kennedy, runway 26, 2,400 × 21 ft, gravel
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
- 71
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 4,572 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- DLS, 24 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.