Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Fairplain, West Virginia, December 19, 1997
On December 19, 1997 at about 1:20 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N9418N, was destroyed in an accident near Fairplain, West Virginia. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an improper overhaul of the fuel servo by the manufacturer, which resulted in the loss of engine power. Factors in the accident were the dark night conditions and rough forced landing terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 1997 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Fairplain, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N9418N · no longer on the register · serial 28R-35130
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was in cruise flight at 7,500 feet with the engine producing satisfactory power. The pilot said the engine slowly and smoothly lost power over a 10-15 second duration. The engine completely lost power over an unlighted rural area and the pilot struck trees and collided with terrain during the subsequent forced landing. Examination of aircraft records revealed the engine and the fuel control were overhauled by their respective manufacturers and the engine was installed 2 weeks prior to the accident. The engine had accumulated 14.6 hours since overhaul. Examination of the engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies. Examination of the fuel control servo revealed that a lock nut was no longer installed. The initial flow tests revealed a flow rate equivalent to idle cut off. When a test nut was installed, the unit flowed 'perfectly.' When questioned about the performance of the fuel servo and the engine with the outer nut no longer installed in the servo, the Inspector stated, 'Basically, what it does is it shuts off the fuel when that nut backs off. It's just like pulling it to idle cut off.'
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 880 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 780 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,852 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 2, 1997; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRW Charleston WV
- Destination: GAI Gaithersburg MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 am from EKN, 50 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.
Other NTSB records under N9418N 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.