Piper PA-28-151 accident near Monticello, Maine, March 22, 1993
On March 22, 1993 at about 6:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N41422, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monticello, Maine. 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
A DISCONNECTION OF THE FUEL LINE, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 1993 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Monticello, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N41422 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7415209
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE FLIGHT WAS CRUISING AT 1300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE STATED THAT BEFORE THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, HE NOTICED THE SMELL OF FUEL. HE TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE USING THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, BUT HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PILOT STATED THAT A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD COVERED WITH ABOUT 5 TO 6 FEET OF SNOW. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE SIDE OF A STEEP HILL SEPARATING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR AND TWISTING THE LEFT WING. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED A DISCONNECTION OF THE LINE FITTING IN THE FUEL LINE LEADING TO THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,078 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 998 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,860 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 1992; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PQI Presque Isle ME at 5:40 pm
- Destination: HUL Houlton ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from BGR, 1 miles away
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.
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.