Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pittstown, New Jersey 08867
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 16:42 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot-rated passenger stated that he departed from runway 25, flying the airplane from the left front seat, with the boost pump on. During the initial takeoff climb, the fuel pressure gauge indicated zero. The engine sputtered, lost power, and the pilot-rated passenger selected a forced landing area. The engine then started, and the pilot started a turn back to the airport and the engine lost power again. The airplane collided with trees and the ground during a forced landing to a residential area. During examination and removal of the fuel system hoses to the carburetor, a loose fuel hose B-nut was found. Review of the airplane logbooks revealed the airplane engine was overhauled about 5 years prior to the accident, and put into storage until it was sold about 1 month prior to the accident. An annual inspection was conducted at that time, and the airplane had flown 4.79 hours since the last overhaul and annual inspection. According to data from the engine manufacturer, the required torque for the B-nut is 35 in/lbs. A follow-up fuel line leak test was performed, with the fuel supply selector and electric boost pump were turned on. The fuel pressure gauge indicated 4.5 ponds-per-square-inch (PSI). The fuel line B-nut was loosened and the fuel pressure dropped 1.5 PSI with a recording of 3 PSI for 5 seconds. Subsequently, fuel was observed leaking from the loosened B-nut.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to the improper tightening of a fuel hose B-nut by maintenance personnel during engine installation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/11/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1642 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Pittstown |
| Event State | NEW JERSEY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 08867 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 403359N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0745843W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1654 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 205 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DYL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 394 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.7 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25237 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 29 2009 10:39AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N55854 |
| NTSB Number | ERA09LA163 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA28 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 180 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-730-5485 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2450 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 3 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | K S Air Corp |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3511 Silverside Road STE 105 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wilmington |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19810 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Robert S. Argila |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Pittstown |
| Operator State | NJ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 08867 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | N40 |
| Departure City | Pittstown |
| Departure State | NJ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1640 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | N40 |
| Destination City | Pittstown |
| Destination State | NJ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 22 2009 4:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |