Amateur-built DHC-6-200 accident near Sussex, New Jersey, July 23, 1997
On July 23, 1997 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-6-200, registered N491AL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sussex, New Jersey (Sussex airport). It was a positioning 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 pilot's improper management of the fuel supply. A related factor was the inoperative low fuel quantity light for the rear tank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1997 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sussex, New Jersey · Sussex
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-6-200
- Registration
- N491AL · registry record · serial 112
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed on a 15-minute positioning flight. About 4 miles from the destination, both engines lost power, and the pilot landed in an open field, where the airplane struck trees. The pilot reported he departed with about 800 pounds of fuel on board, and thought the gauges indicated about 300 pounds remaining when the power loss occurred. Examination revealed over 200 pounds of fuel remained in the forward tank, and the rear tank indicated 30 pounds. Both boost pumps were operative. The rear tank boost pump would not extinguish the low fuel pressure light, while the forward tank boost pump would. In addition, the low fuel quantity light for the aft tank, which should have illuminated at about 100 pounds of fuel remaining, was inoperative due to a corroded wire connection.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,599 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 137 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 1,420 as pilot in command; 63 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23,481 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,579 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGJ Montgomery NY at 5:15 pm
- Destination: FWN NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from CDW, 24 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.
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.