Accident Piper PA-28R-200 N33685, Wednesday 3 January 1990

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Date:	Wednesday 3 January 1990
Time:	17:30 LT
Type:	Piper PA-28R-200
Owner/operator:	Air Chesterfield, Inc.
Registration:	N33685
MSN:	28R7535719
Total airframe hrs:	4102 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming IO-360-C1C
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Petersburg, VA - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CHECK THE PERFORMANCE OF THE NEWLY INSTALLED/OVERHAULED ENGINE. BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE WAS RUN FOR ABOUT AN HOUR & NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. THE PILOT AND THE MECHANIC/PASSENGER REPORTED THAT DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FUEL PRESSURE DROPPED & THE ENGINE LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT DID NOT CHANGE THE POSITION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION & OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO FUEL CONTAMINATION OR MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. DURING THE CHECK, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS MOVED TO THE OFF POSITION WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING & THE ENGINE POWER WAS LOST ABOUT 15 SECONDS LATER.

Probable Cause: FUEL STARVATION AND IMPROPER USE OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES (FUEL SELECTOR) BY THE PILOT.

Accident investigation: