Piper PA-24-250 accident near Sligo, Pennsylvania, October 23, 2021
On October 23, 2021 at about 1:50 pm local time, a 1961 Piper PA-24-250, registered N7371P, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Sligo, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilots mismanagement of fuel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2021 · about 1:50 pm local time
- Place
- Sligo, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250, built 1961 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7371P · registry record · serial 24-2552
- 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, he was in cruise flight when the engine lost full power. The pilot reported that he did not have enough time to attempt a restart of the engine or to switch fuel tanks, due to the low altitude of the airplane. He elected to conduct an off-field emergency landing. During the landing, the airplane impacted a tree, which resulted in substantial damage to the left outboard wing, right horizontal stabilizer and fuselage. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the fuel selector was positioned on the right fuel tank- AUX position. The right fuel tank-AUX fuel tank was checked, and no fuel was discovered in the tank, however, about 75 gallons of fuel was drained from the remaining tanks. In a telephone interview with the pilot, he stated that took off on the right AUX tank. The post-accident examination did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Fuel starvation during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 352 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 194 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,913 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 23, 2021; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O540-A1D5 (piston); 5,913 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YNG Youngstown OH at 1:20 pm
- Destination: HXD Hilton Head Island SC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 am from Clev
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 12, 2022. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Memorandum for Record | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages | 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.