Piper PA-22-150 N3818P

Summary

On 24 July 2005 at about 21:30 local time, a Piper PA-22-150 registered N3818P was involved in an accident near Chatham, Virginia, 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

24 July 2005 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Chatham, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Coles Hill Airstrip

Coordinates

36.8836, -79.3044

Aircraft

Piper PA-22-150

Registration

N3818P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chatham → Danville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD05LA113

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to ensure that the fuel selector valve was properly engaged, which resulted in fuel starvation and subsequent loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot filled the airplane's right fuel tank with automotive gasoline prior to conducting a preflight inspection. The pilot subsequently selected the left fuel tank with the fuel selector, conducted a run up, and departed. When the airplane reached about 300 feet above ground level, the engine began to lose power. As the pilot attempted to avoid trees during the forced landing, the airplane impacted the ground, nosed over, and incurred substantial damage. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies, and that the fuel selector valve was not positively engaged.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.