Amateur-built FISHER 404 accident near Wampum, Pennsylvania, May 1, 1993
On May 1, 1993 at about 10:01 pm local time, a amateur-built FISHER 404, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wampum, Pennsylvania. 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
THE OVERTORQUE OF A SAFETY WIRE ON A PLASTIC FUEL LINE, CAUSING THE LINE TO SPLIT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 1993 · about 10:01 pm local time
- Place
- Wampum, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FISHER 404
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 45 SECONDS AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING, AND DURING THE APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A TREE. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT A PLASTIC FUEL LINE HAD BEEN SAFETY WIRED AND THE WIRE WAS OVER TORQUED, CAUSING THE FUEL LINE TO SPLIT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT DURING INITIAL CLIMB FROM TAKE OFF, AIR ENTERED THE FUEL LINE, STARVING THE ENGINE OF FUEL. THE PILOT WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER 14 CFR PART 103 AS AN ULTRALIGHT AND DID NOT HOLD ANY FAA CERTIFICATES. THE POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT WEIGHED OVER THE WEIGHT LIMITATION OF 254 POUNDS AS IMPOSED BY 14 CFR PART 103; THEREFORE, IT WAS DESIGNATED AN AIRPLANE.
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
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 532 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from YNG, 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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG 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.