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| Date: | Wednesday 5 June 2024 |
| Time: | 06:30 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-25-235 Pawnee |
| Owner/operator: | Scott TS AG Flying Inc |
| Registration: | N8715L |
| MSN: | 25-5168 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1969 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-540 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Colquitt, GA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Agricultural |
| Departure airport: | Colquitt, GA (private) |
| Colquitt, GA (private) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On June 5, 2024, about 0630 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235 airplane, N8715L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Colquitt, Georgia. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight.
The pilot reported that preflight and ground operations were routine. Shortly after takeoff, the engine started “missing” as the airplane climbed to about 200-300 ft mean sea level. The engine speed then dropped about 50 rpm and the pilot confirmed the engine controls were fully forward before the engine lost all power. The pilot made a forced landing into a wooded swamp area. Substantial damage was confirmed to both wings and the fuselage.
Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of a preexisting malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. An examination of the fuel shutoff valve from the fuel tank to the gascolator revealed that, when the valve was manipulated manually, the through-port was not totally obstructed when placed to the “closed” position. The valve arm moved back and forth with minimal resistance. The valve was then disassembled and the connection to the interior plastic gate was broken and the gate did not move when the valve stem was actuated. Further examination revealed that the two rivets that joined the stem flange to the adjacent internal component of the valve were fractured. The lower rivet failed from intergranular corrosion. The upper river showed signs of overstress in bending and shear. Once the failure occurred, the valve stem was free to move without manual input, obstructing the port and compromising fuel flow to the engine.
Probable Cause: The failure of the fuel shutoff valve from corrosion, which allowed the valve stem to obstruct the internal fuel port, resulting in a restriction of fuel flow to the engine.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194405
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 5 September 1983 | N8715L | Private | 0 | Pinehurst, GA | |
sub |
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Jun-2024 19:47 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 07-Apr-2025 04:21 | Captain Adam | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Photo, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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