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BFO90LA019

1990-01-03 · PETERSBURG, Virginia, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport PTB

Current FAA registration · N33685

Make / Model
PIPER PA-28R-200
Engine
LYCOMING I0360 SER A&C (200 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19890630
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A3AFA7

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FUEL STARVATION AND IMPROPER USE OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES (FUEL SELECTOR) BY THE PILOT.

Factual narrative

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CHECK THE PERFORMANCE OF THE NEWLY INSTALLED/OVERHAULED ENGINE. BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE WAS RUN FOR ABOUT AN HOUR & NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. THE PILOT AND THE MECHANIC/PASSENGER REPORTED THAT DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FUEL PRESSURE DROPPED & THE ENGINE LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT DID NOT CHANGE THE POSITION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION & OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO FUEL CONTAMINATION OR MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. DURING THE CHECK, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS MOVED TO THE OFF POSITION WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING & THE ENGINE POWER WAS LOST ABOUT 15 SECONDS LATER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_BFO90LA019.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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