Boeing A75L300 accident near Chester, New York, February 7, 1998
On February 7, 1998 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Boeing A75L300, registered N55412, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chester, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight which failed to reveal fuel contamination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 1998 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chester, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing A75L300 · all A75L300s on the register
- Registration
- N55412 · registry record · serial 75-1551
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot used a 55 gallon drum with a pump and filter to refuel the airplane. Earlier in the day, he added 10 to 15 gallons of fuel from the drum to the airplane. He then departed on a flight without draining the gascolater. During the flight, the engine lost total power and the pilot performed a forced landing to a wooded area. After the accident, when fuel was drained from the gascolater into a 6 inch diameter glass jar, 1 1/2 inches of water was present at the bottom of the jar. Additionally, unidentified particles were found suspended in the fuel throughout the sample. After the fuel was drained, and the engine refueled, a run-up was conducted and the engine performed satisfactorily.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 68 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,773 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1997; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming R680-E3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N72 Warwick NY at 8:15 pm
- Destination: 4NY1 NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from SWF, 70 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.