Cessna 172N N739RK accident near Plattekill, New York

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to place the fuel selector valve in the appropriate position for takeoff resulting in a partial loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's attempted takeoff at a higher than allowed gross weight.

NTSB analysis

Prior to departing, the pilot added 17 gallons of fuel to the fuel tanks and three passengers boarded the airplane, resulting in a condition approximately 250 pounds over max allowable takeoff weight. The pilot performed a preflight inspection of the airplane, during which no anomalies were noted. During the initial climb out, the engine stopped producing power, the pilot confirmed that the throttle was in the full forward position, and he looked for a place to land. According to a witness, the airplane "barely cleared trees" during the takeoff climb before it descended out of view. The airplane impacted several trees and came to rest upright in a residential yard. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector valve was between the "BOTH" and "LEFT" fuel tank position and the carburetor contained approximately 1 teaspoon of fuel. Tests conducted on the fuel selector valve indicated that in the position as found after the accident, the selector valve allowed some fluid to exit the output valves; however, the exact amount of fuel could not be accurately determined. Therefore, as the engine increased from an idle power setting to a full takeoff power setting the fuel was consumed in the carburetor at a more rapid rate than could be replaced. Several checklists and a placard that was on the fuel selector valve indicated that the valve must be in the "BOTH" position for takeoff; however, according to one passenger, they have performed the checklists so many times that they do not "pull the card out anymore." Examination of the seatbelt attach point revealed that screws were utilized to attach the seatbelts to the airframe, instead of bolts as specified by the airplane parts catalog. The failure to use the appropriate hardware on the seatbelts likely contributed to the severity of the injuries sustained in the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA10LA275 for the full record.