Piper PA-34-200T incident near Elbridge, New York, December 28, 1990
On December 28, 1990 at about 7:37 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N8434H, suffered minor damage in an incident near Elbridge, New York. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO CONDUCT A PROPER PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE FUEL TANKS, AND A MISREADING FUEL GAUGE WHICH RESULTED IN A DOUBLE POWER LOSS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1990 · about 7:37 am local time
- Place
- Elbridge, New York · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8434H · no longer on the register · serial 34-8133219
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SURGING FOLLOWED BY A DOUBLE POWER LOSS DURING A DESCENT IN IMC CONDITIONS AT NIGHT. HE BROKE OUT AT 1000 FT AGL, FOUND A FIELD AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE. THE FAA DID A POST INCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND FOUND THE FUEL TANKS INTACT AND EMPTY. THE PILOT WAS INTERVIEWED AND SAID HE SAW THE FUEL TRUCK PULL UP TO HIS AIRPLANE AND THEN LEAVE SHORTLY THEREAFTER. ANOTHER COMPANY PILOT TOLD HIM HE COULD PICK UP HIS FUEL SLIP ON THE RETURN TRIP. ON THE PRECEDING FLIGHT THE PILOT SAID THE LEFT FUEL GAUGE WAS READING MORE THAN THE RIGHT FUEL GAUGE. WHEN CHECKED BY THE FAA, AFTER THE INCIDENT, THE LEFT FUEL GAUGE INDICATED FULL AND THE RIGHT FUEL GAUGE INDICATED EMPTY.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,700 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 330 in the last 90 days; 110 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command; 1,400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,773 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360KB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Central Skyport, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: AGC Alleghney CO. PA at 6:20 am
- Destination: SYR Syracuse NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N8434H 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.