Piper PA-34-200T accident near Columbus, Ohio, January 23, 1992
On January 23, 1992 at about 9:35 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N8434H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION IN BOTH ENGINES, DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE ENGINE OR FUEL CONTROLS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 1992 · about 9:35 am local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8434H · no longer on the register · serial 34-8133219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKING OFF AT NIGHT, HE RAISED THE LANDING GEAR, STARTED A TURN TO THE OUTBOUND HEADING AND ADJUSTED BOTH PROPELLER CONTROLS. HE THEN TURNED ON THE OVERHEAD LIGHT, ADJUSTED THE HEAT BY MOVING BOTH SELECTOR LEVERS TO THE CENTER POSITION, CONTINUED CLIMBING AND HAD STARTED TO ADJUST THE MIXTURE CONTROLS, WHEN ATC GAVE HIM A FREQUENCY CHANGE. AT THAT TIME, BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINES, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE SAID HE THEN 'CUT' THE MIXTURE CONTROLS AND MADE AN EMERGENCY WHEELS UP LANDING IN A FIELD. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION SHOWED THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL WITH NO CONTAMINATES. FUEL FLOW WAS ESTABLISHED FROM THE FUEL TANK(S) TO THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT(S) BY USING THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. THE LEFT ENGINE WAS STARTED AND TEST RUN WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED. THE RIGHT ENGINE COULD NOT BE RUN DUE TO ITS UNSAFE CONDITION, BUT AN EXAM OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 899 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 586 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,757 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 16, 1992; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-KB3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MNN Marion OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,500 ft; scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N8434H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.