# NTSB WPR18LA173: Piper PA 28-140, N1782J, Hartford, CT, June 16, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 16, 2018, 13:15 local (17:15 UTC) - Place: Hartford, CT - Coordinates: 41.745555, -72.627777 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7456&lon=-72.6278&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Bradley Flight Standards District Office - SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 97518 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR18LA173 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97518/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97518 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA173 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons because postaccident examination of the engine and fuel system did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, which led to the pilot’s forced landing and subsequent runway overshoot and collision with a fence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Emergency descent: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 400 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that after takeoff, the engine lost partial power, and the airplane would not maintain altitude. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a runway at a nearby closed airport. During the descent, the pilot verified the mixture was full rich and the carburetor heat was off, and he switched fuel tanks. The pilot said the engine did not respond, so he turned it off and executed a "forward slip" and S-turns to position the airplane onto the runway; however, the airplane landed about 600 ft from the departure end of the runway, overran the end of the runway, and struck a fence which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported he believed that the recently replaced fuel selector valve failed and starved the engine of fuel. Postaccident examination of the airplane and an engine test run did not reveal any anomalies with the engine, fuel system or the fuel selector valve that would have precluded normal operation. Thus, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On June 16, 2018, about 1315 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, N1782J, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near East Hartford, Connecticut. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed Hartford-Brainard Airport (HFD), Hartford, Connecticut. The pilot stated that after takeoff, when the airplane was about 900 ft above ground level, the engine started to sputter and lost partial power, and the airplane would not maintain altitude. He decided to conduct a forced landing on a runway at a nearby closed airport. During the descent, the pilot verified the mixture was full rich and the carburetor heat was off, and he switched fuel tanks. The pilot said the engine did not respond, so he turned it off and executed a "forward slip" and S-turns to position the airplane onto the runway; however, the airplane landed about 600 ft from the departure end of the runway, overran the end of the runway, and struck a fence. The pilot reported he believed that the recently replaced fuel selector valve failed and starved the engine of fuel. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. An on-site examination revealed that the airplane was not leaking fuel, and fuel was present in each wing tank. The fuel drained from the tanks had no evidence of contamination. An engine test run revealed that the engine ran with no defects noted in the following scenarios: on the right fuel selector position to full power, on the left fuel selector position to full power, in both fuel selector positions to full power with the fuel boost pump turned off, with both magnetos selected, and with left and right magnetos individually selected. No hesitation or loss of power was observed. Fuel that was recovered from the airplane’s wing fuel tanks was used for the engine test run. At 16:53, the recorded weather conditions at HFD were as follows: wind from 010° at 8 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear, temperature 28°C, dew point 9°C, and altimeter 29.97 inches of mercury. Weather conditions about the time of the accident were plotted using the chart in Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 regarding carburetor ice prevention; the weather conditions (ambient temperature of 28°C and dew point of 9°C) were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1782J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1782J-2020-10-31), registration cancelled 2020-10-31, S/N 28-24205, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 28-140 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-24205 - Year built: 1968 - Airframe hours: 3115 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E3D 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 11, 2018 - Departed: KHFD, Hartford, CT - Destination: KEWB, New Bedford, CT - Airport: HFD, Hartford-Brainard - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 17, 2017; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 130 total, 65 in this make and model, 97 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: 2 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20180616008059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180616008059A), Jun 16, 2018: Piper PA-28-140, East Hartford, CT, Substantial damage. On June 16 2019 at 1709Z the roc notified of PA28 aircraft, N1782J that had lost power and landed on a closed runway at East Hartford CT pratt and whitney… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 24, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97518. 9.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 731 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12081204&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20Whalley_Redacted-Rel-Rel.pdf - Carburetor icing probability chart (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=7800578&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=r_CE-09-35-Rel.pdf - Airworthiness (item 3, PDF, 26 pages, 4.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=7740822&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=1782%20J%20Airworthiness_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=7741962&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_15%20NTSB%20Full%20release_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 5, PDF, 6 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=6766206&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%20of%20WPR18LA173-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.