SURF SIDE BEACH, SC, USA
N6634W
PIPER PA-28-140
THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THE 4000 FOOT SOD RUNWAY 22 AT THE PRIVATE AIRFIELD IN SURF SIDE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO TALL TREES FOUR TENTH'S OF A MILE OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF PREVIOUSLY, HAD ABORTED THE TAKEOFF, AND RETURNED TO THE EXTREME END OF THE RUNWAY PRIOR TO THIS TAKEOFF ATTEMPT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFT GASOLATOR OR CARBURETOR AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT FUEL WOULD NOT PASS THROUGH THE SELECTOR VALVE IN THE 'OFF' POSITION UNTIL THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP WAS TURNED 'ON'. A TEST RUN OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE REVEALED THAT WITH THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST IN THE 'ON' POSITION, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE IN THE 'OFF' POSITION, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE WOULD START AND OPERATE AT LOW POWER SETTINGS.
THE IMPROPER PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PILOT, IN THAT HE FAILED TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SELECTOR 'ON' PRIOR TO STARTING THE ENGINE. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SELECTOR VALVE LEAKING ENOUGH FUEL TO THE ENGINE IN THE 'OFF' POSITION TO RUN THE ENGINE AT LOW POWER SETTING.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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