The airplane lost total engine power during the initial climb and collided with trees and the ground at 1642 Eastern time, sustaining structural damage to the airframe. Visual conditions prevailed. The commercial pilot received serious injuries; the pilot-rated passenger in the left front seat received minor injuries. During initial takeoff climb, the fuel pressure gauge indicated zero. The engine sputtered and quit, and the pilot-rated passenger selected a forced landing area. The engine then started, and the pilot-rated passenger started a shallow turn back to the airport. The engine quit again and the pilot-rated passenger leveled the airplane.
February 11, 2009, Pittstown, N.J., Piper PA-28-180
The airplane lost total engine power during the initial climb and collided with trees and the ground at 1642 Eastern time, sustaining structural damage to the airframe. Visual conditions prevailed. The commercial pilot received serious injuries; the pilot-rated passenger in the left front seat received minor injuries.
Key Takeaways:
- An airplane crashed during initial climb after experiencing total engine power loss.
- The engine failure was preceded by a zero fuel pressure gauge reading, engine sputtering, and multiple engine quits, despite a brief restart.
- The crash resulted in structural damage, serious injuries to the commercial pilot, and minor injuries to the pilot-rated passenger.
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