Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-28-161 N83968

11 July 1990 · Yarmouth, Massachusetts, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 11 July 1990 at about 13:45 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N83968, operated by Stephen F. Butler, was involved in an accident near Yarmouth, Massachusetts, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 13:45
Classification
Accident
Location
Yarmouth, Massachusetts, United States
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-161
Registration
N83968
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Stephen F. Butler
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Barnstable → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
NYC90LA157

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
3 0 0 0 3

Probable cause

A POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES BY THE PILOT AND AN IMPROPERLY READING FUEL GAUGE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT DEPARTED WITH APPROXIMATELY 36 GALLONS OF GAS ON BOARD. AFTER FLYING .9 HOURS, HE HAD A POWER LOSS AND DITCHED THE AIRPLANE IN THE OCEAN AT A BEACH. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DISCLOSED THE RIGHT TANK HELD 1 QUART OF FUEL AND THE LEFT TANK OVER 15 GALLONS. THE PILOT HAD BEEN FLYING ON THE RIGHT TANK. ADDITIONALLY THE RIGHT FUEL TANK GAUGE WAS FOUND TO BE INACCURATE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT REALIZED HE HAD BEEN SWITCHING TANKS TOO FAST FOR THE ENGINE TO RESUME NORMAL RUNNING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-28 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
12 Dec 1990 Piper PA-28-151
N4480F
Jupiter, Florida, United States Zimmerman, Barry L. No injuries -
24 Apr 1990 Piper PA-28-161
N2110D
Chandler, Arizona, United States Chandler Air Service No injuries -
13 Oct 1990 Piper PA-28-140
N5809U
Agua Dulce, California, United States R.i. Flying Club Serious injuries -
20 May 1990 Piper PA-28-181
N24PT
East Lansing, Michigan, United States J. J. Tiefenthaler Fatal 1
8 Apr 1990 Piper PA-28-140
N5628U
Forsyth, Montana, United States - Serious injuries -
3 Feb 1990 Piper PA-28-161
N473FT
Sebastian, Florida, United States FL Institute of Technology Fatal 1

All 9,402 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
21 Jul 1990 Schweizer SGS-2-33A
N2724H
Gt. Barrington, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
- Minor injuries -
2 Aug 1990 Beechcraft 58P
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Chicopee, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
4 Aug 1990 Bell 206B
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Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
Joseph T. Duggan, III No injuries -
15 Aug 1990 Grumman AA5B
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Stow, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
Hung YU No injuries -
20 Aug 1990 Cessna 150L
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Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
Aviation East Minor injuries -
28 Aug 1990 Cessna 152
N24894
Provincetown, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
Mike Bello Fatal 2

All 170,864 records in United States