Piper PA-28-140 N6927W

Summary

On 27 May 1997 at about 00:28 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N6927W was involved in an accident near Baltimore, Maryland, United States. One person was 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.

Date

27 May 1997 at 00:28

Classification

Accident

Location

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Martin State (MTN)

Coordinates

39.3304, -76.4308

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N6927W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Stevensville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

NYC97LA100

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate preflight of the airplane which failed to detect water in the fuel, and resulted in a power loss after departure due to fuel contamination.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After takeoff, at an altitude of about 300 feet AGL, the engine lost power. The pilot turned the airplane 30 degrees left and landed on the grass near the runway. During the ground roll, the airplane went through a ditch and struck a chain link fence. The airplane was secured by emergency personnel who drained the fuel tanks. The next morning the pilot checked the airplane and found the fuel tanks empty. He drained the main sump and only water was found. The pilot reported that the day prior to the accident it had rained hard all day, and the airplane was tied down outside. He also reported that he did not drain the tanks before the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.