- Date
- January 26, 1995, 18:16 local (Jan 27, 1995, 02:16 UTC)
- Place
- Salem, OR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9201PPiper PA-24-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950126003479A
- Case key
- 42104
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.
Fuel starvation due to inadequate supervision of the dual student by the pilot-in-command when the dual student improperly adjusted the fuel selector position.
Analysis
Prior to takeoff on a dark night, the dual student changed the fuel selector from one main tank to another. After takeoff, at about 150 feet above ground level, the engine stopped due to fuel starvation. The flight instructor stated that the fuel selector was not in the detent, and that he had inadequately monitored the student's positioning of the fuel selector.
Factual narrative
On January 26, 1995, at 1816 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-24, N9201P, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a loss of power immediately after take off at Salem, Oregon. The flight instructor and his student were uninjured. No flight plan was filed for the flight, which had a destination of Cresswell, Oregon. There was no fire, and the ELT did not activate.
Both the flight instructor and student stated that after run-up, the fuel selector was changed from one main fuel tank to the other. After takeoff, at about 150 feet, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of power. The aircraft was landed straight ahead on remaining runway, with the landing gear retracted, causing substantial belly damage. Both the flight instructor and student stated that when the fuel selector position was changed, it had not completely engaged the detent.
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
- N9201P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-4696
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Charles R. Lemasters
- Registered owner
- Dan Mallett
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 14, 1994 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- SLE
- Destination
- 77S · Cresswell, OR
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SLE · Mcnary Field, runway 16, 5,145 × 140 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
- 43
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,600 total · 15 in this make and model · 2,530 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9201P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.