Piper PA-22 accident near Butler, Pennsylvania, April 17, 1994
On April 17, 1994 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N9183D, was destroyed in an accident near Butler, Pennsylvania (Butler County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to select the proper fuel tank, which resulted in fuel starvation and the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1994 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Butler, Pennsylvania · Butler County Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N9183D · no longer on the register · serial 22-6231
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS DOING A SALES DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT AND THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER WAS ABOARD. AS PART OF THE DEMONSTRATION, THE PILOT MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE RUNWAY AND THEN HE ENTERED A LEFT DOWNWIND. AS HE TURNED DOWNWIND, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT FORCED LANDED IN A FIELD, BUT THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES, AND CARTWHEELED ACROSS THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE FUEL STRAINER AND CARBURETOR FUEL BOWL, RESPECTIVELY, HAD TWO AND ONE OUNCE OF FUEL. THE LEFT TANK HAD 8.5 GALLONS OF FUEL. A PLACARD THAT STATED 'NO TAKE-OFF ON RIGHT TANK WITH LESS THAN 1/3 TANK' WAS OVER THE RIGHT FUEL GAGE.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,767 hours in all; 185 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2,084 as pilot in command; 41 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,651 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 19, 1994; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BTP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,005 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 22 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from BTP, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.