Piper PA-28-181 accident near Brickerville, Pennsylvania, August 19, 1997
On August 19, 1997 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8262K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brickerville, Pennsylvania. It was a personal 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
Fuel starvation as a result of the pilot performing a takeoff with the fuel selector in the 'OFF' position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 1997 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Brickerville, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8262K · registry record · serial 28-8290165
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after departure, the pilot noticed a rise in engine oil and cylinder head temperature. As the pilot turned back toward the airport for landing, he experienced a loss of oil pressure, followed by a loss of partial engine power. The pilot performed a precautionary landing to a field. He shut the engine down, inspected it, and found no discrepancies. Several minutes later, the pilot restarted the engine, and having observed all engine instruments in the green, performed a takeoff. During the initial climb, the engine lost all power and the pilot performed a forced landing in a corn field. Examination of the wreckage revealed the fuel selector valve in the 'OFF' position and that fuel lines from the lowest points of the fuel system, and the carburetor bowl were observed to contain only a few drops of fuel. There was no evidence of pre impact mechanical malfunction to the airplane.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 327 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 268 as pilot in command; 59 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,247 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 1997; 1,247 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNS Lancaster PA at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from LNS, 5 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.