Piper PA-28-140 N7407J

Summary

On 28 November 1999 at about 14:36 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N7407J was involved in an accident near Olean, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 November 1999 at 14:36

Classification

Accident

Location

Olean, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Cattaraugus County Arpt (OLE)

Coordinates

42.0799, -78.4297

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N7407J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Dover

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD00LA008

2 people had minor injuries.

the loss of engine power from water-contaminated fuel due to the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that after takeoff and initial climb, the engine 'began to spit and sputter', lost rpm, and would only produced partial power. The pilot performed a forced landing and the airplane collided with a pole, a guardrail, and a roadway. Examination of the engine and its accessories revealed no anomalies. Examination of the auxiliary fuel pump revealed ice in the filter area. The pump was thawed to room temperature and approximately 1 ounce of water was drained. Removal of the engine-driven fuel pump revealed water in the inlet and outlet sections. Disassembly of the pump revealed water in the pump diaphragm area. Records revealed the airplane was refueled the night before the accident flight and both the pilot and the passenger reported the preflight inspection was completed in approximately 5 minutes prior to takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.