Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Altoona, Pennsylvania 16686
Friday, October 18, 2002 8:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During takeoff and after reaching 300 feet agl, the engine started to run "very rough." The pilot switched from the right fuel tank to the left, the engine continued to run rough, and the fuel pressure gauge indicated zero. With insufficient power to maintain flight, the pilot executed a forced landing to a field. An engine run was performed, but was limited to 1,500 RPM because of propeller damage. The left and right fuel tanks were selected, and no anomalies were identified. The engine was then removed, and sent to the manufacturer for overhaul where no preimpact failures or malfunctions were identified. The engine was reinstalled, and the airplane painted. While taxing the airplane after being painted, the engine lost power. The pilot noted that the engine would run normally when the right tank was selected, but when the left was selected, fuel pressure would drop to zero, and the engine would lose power. The pilot had the fuel selector removed, and examined. No anomalies were identified, and no obstructions were found in the fuel line that ran from the left fuel tank to the fuel selector. The fuel selector was replaced with a new one, and the problem did not reoccur.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A failure of the fuel selector for an undetermined reason.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 10/18/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 830 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Altoona |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 16686 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 401704N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0781901W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 820 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 10 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AOO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1504 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 200 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.12 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 14651 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 21 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1500 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 7 2004 12:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Allegheny |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4295R |
| NTSB Number | NYC03IA011 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-236 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-8311014 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3011 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 30 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 80 |
| Airframe Hours | 1680 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Timothy E. Reffner |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Altoona |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 16602 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Flight Test |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | AOO |
| Departure City | Altoon |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 830 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | AOO |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 20 2003 10:55AM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |