Piper PA-28-140 accident near Kingston, New York, March 14, 1995
On March 14, 1995 at about 4:17 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N3665R, was destroyed in an accident near Kingston, New York (Kingston-Ulster airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO A TANK CONTAINING AMPLE FUEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1995 · about 4:17 pm local time
- Place
- Kingston, New York · Kingston-Ulster · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N3665R · registry record · serial 287125352
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFFT, ABOUT 100 FT AGL, THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING INTO AN EMBANKMENT WITH HEAVY BRUSH. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK, GASCOLATOR AND CARBURETOR BOWL WERE EMPTY. THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS ALMOST FULL, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS SELECTED TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK, BEFORE TAKEOFF, 'CHECK THE FUEL SELECTOR TO MAKE SURE IT IS ON THE PROPER TANK (FULLEST).'
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,610 hours in all; 1,015 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 1,571 as pilot in command; 7 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,899 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1994; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 20N at 4:15 pm
- Destination: 44N Sky Acres NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,250 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from POU, 20 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC95LA071.