Piper PA-28-201T accident near Versailles, Missouri, December 19, 2017
On December 19, 2017 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 1979 Piper PA-28-201T, registered N555WM, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Versailles, Missouri (Roy Otten Memorial Airfield). 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 total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation when the cap fitting came off the inlet tee fitting on the throttle body/fuel metering unit.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 2017 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Versailles, Missouri · Roy Otten Memorial Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-201T, built 1979 · all PA-28-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N555WM · registry record · serial 28-7921047
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was going to perform a local flight for the first time after an overhauled engine was installed on the airplane. During engine ground operations, no leaks were noted, and the engine operated normally. After takeoff, the pilot flew the airplane around the airport traffic pattern and accomplished a touch-and-go landing. During the climbout, at 400 to 500 ft above ground level, the engine lost total power. The pilot conducted a forced landing to a field. During the landing roll, the airplane's left wing struck a metal fence post, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. A postaccident examination revealed that the inlet tee fitting on the throttle body/fuel metering unit was missing a cap fitting, which was subsequently found between the Nos. 3 and 5 cylinders. After the cap fitting was reinstalled, the engine was restarted and ran normally. The mechanic who installed the overhauled engine stated that the cap fitting was in its proper place during the installation of the engine and that he had not disturbed the cap fitting during the maintenance that was performed before the maintenance check flight. The repair station's quality control manager reported that an inspector checked all of the engine fittings to verify that they were secure. During the engine test run, the tee fitting was not disturbed because it was not used to attach the gauge for the fuel system checks, and the engine met all performance objectives of the test run. The engine experienced a total loss of power due to fuel starvation when the cap fitting came off the inlet tee fitting on the throttle body/fuel metering unit. However, the available evidence was not sufficient to determine how the cap fitting became loose and displaced from its installed location.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (total) during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 385 hours in all; 266 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 2017; 1,476 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors TSIO-360-FB (piston); 1 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3VS Versailles MO at 5:45 pm
- Destination: 3VS Versailles MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,805 ft by 39 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from LXT, 93 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on June 19, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Mechanic's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | NTSB Record of Conversations | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Engine Maintenance Manual Excerpts | PDF, 17 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Aerial Image of Accident Site | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo of Cap Fitting on Fuel System Test Port | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.