- Date
- June 7, 1997, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Big Creek, ID
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N27296Piper PA-18-135
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 13, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970607013539A
- Case key
- 42624
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 improper positioning of the fuel selector to the 'OFF' position, which resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power during takeoff. Factors relating to the accident were: down-sloping terrain (airstrip) and trees that were encountered during the aborted 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
The pilot reported that just before takeoff, he switched fuel tanks to what he believed was the fullest tank; however, he inadvertently selected the 'OFF' position. During takeoff on down-sloping terrain, the engine lost power. The pilot stated that the airplane had just lifted off at the time of the power loss, and he immediately re-landed. He was unable to stop the airplane before it collided with trees at the end of the runway.
Factual narrative
History of flight
On June 7, 1997, approximately 1000 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-18-135, N27296, registered to and being flown by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff at the Mile Hi airstrip, Big Creek, Idaho. The pilot and passenger were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and had departed McCall, Idaho, earlier in the morning with intermediate stops at various remote mountain airstrips.
The pilot reported that immediately before taking off from the Mile Hi airstrip, he "turned the fuel selector a full 180 degrees" intending to take off on the fullest fuel tank, but that it "should have been only 90 degrees." During the takeoff roll on the 18 degree down-sloped, grass strip, the engine lost power. The pilot reported that he was just lifting off at the time of the power loss and immediately re-landed the aircraft. He was unable to stop the aircraft on the remaining runway and subsequently collided head-on with a tree passing the down-slope end of the runway boundary. The fuel selector was documented in the "OFF" position at the accident site (refer to photograph 1).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N27296
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-135
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-3920
- Airframe hours
- 1,225
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mcginty, Edwin, R.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 18, 1996 · 47 hours before
- Destination
- EUL · Caldwell, ID
- Airport
- Mile Hi, runway 10, 1,100 × 30 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,620 total · 700 in this make and model · 1,550 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.