Piper PA-18 N5428H
3 September 2002 · Belmar, New Jersey, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 3 September 2002 at about 16:00 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N5428H, operated by Aerial Sign Company, was involved in an accident near Belmar, New Jersey, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 16:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Belmar, New Jersey, United States
- Nearest airport
- Allaire (BLM)
- Coordinates
- 40.1631, -74.0811
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18
- Registration
- N5428H
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Aerial Sign Company
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Positioning
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Belmar → Norfolk
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC02LA181
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The improper use of an fuel additive which resulted in a power loss. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The banner towing airplane was being positioned to another airport. After takeoff, the airplane engine lost power. Unsuitable terrain limited the pilot's options, and he struck a chain link fence during a forced landing. Examination revealed low compression in the engine, with air bypass on all exhaust valves, and evidence of detonation. The airplane had 3 fuel tanks, each of which held 18 gallons, and two of which contained uncontaminated fuel. One tank contained fuel to which Marvel Mystery Oil had been added. The fuel was pink in color and had an oily feel. The FAA reported that they found an empty can of Marvel Mystery Oil in the operator's trash. The recommended ratio for the additive to fuel was 1 part additive to 100 parts fuel. The operator did not have any specific instructions on how or when to add the Marvel Mystery Oil, or what ratio to use. The pilot, chief pilot, and manager all denied adding the substance to the fuel. In addition, the manager reported that he interviewed the maintenance personnel and they denied adding the Marvel Mystery Oil to the fuel.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-18 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 May 2002 | Piper PA-18-150 | Middleville, New York, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 Jun 2002 | Piper PA-18 | Fairbanks, Alaska, United States | Uriah Strong | No injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 2002 | Piper PA-18 | Newberg, Oregon, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Mar 2002 | Piper PA-18-150 | Fort Peck, Montana, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Aug 2002 | Piper PA-18 | Skwentna, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 27 Jan 2002 | Piper PA-18-150 | Eagle Point, Oregon, United States | - | No injuries | - |
All 2,950 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 May 2002 | D'apuzzo D-260 | Andover, New Jersey, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 23 Feb 2002 | Piper PA-24-260 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Nov 2002 | Mooney M10 | Fairfield, New Jersey, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 12 Nov 2002 | Cessna 182P | Lincoln Park, New Jersey, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Mar 2002 | Cessna 172P | Ocean City, New Jersey, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jul 2002 | Wehrlen GLASSAIR II RG | Jackson, New Jersey, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |