Piper PA-18-150 accident near Dansville, New York, July 8, 2000
On July 8, 2000 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4456Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dansville, New York (Dansville airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
the loss of engine power during take-off for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2000 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Dansville, New York · Dansville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4456Z · registry record · serial 18-8803
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after take-off, the airplane, which was towing a glider, lost all engine power at an altitude about 150 feet above ground level. The glider pilot released the tow-line and landed uneventfully in a nearby field. The airplane turned to the right, landed hard, and came to rest in a field to the right of the runway. The airplane had a sufficient amount of fuel onboard, which was absent of debris and contamination. The engine was run on the airframe utilizing the plane's own fuel system, and ran smoothly at various power settings. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed there were no mechanical malfunctions.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,247 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 164 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command; 559 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DSV at 11:40 pm
- Destination: 4NY8 Harris Hills NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from ROC, 32 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.