Piper PA-22 N2569P accident near Laconia, New Hampshire

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because of insufficient evidence found during postaccident examination of the airframe and engine.

NTSB analysis

The pilot/owner was conducting a personal flight in the airplane. A witness reported that, during takeoff, the airplane's engine sputtered and then stopped producing power. The witness further reported that the pilot maneuvered the airplane to avoid hitting people and a house before the airplane descended and impacted a field. The pilot did not remember the accident but did recall that, before takeoff, the engine was operating normally and that he had set the fuel selector valve to the right tank. When first responders arrived on scene, they turned the fuel selector from the right tank position to the off position for safety reasons.

A postaccident examination of the airplane found sufficient fuel onboard and no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the engine or its accessories that would have precluded normal operation. During the examination, it was noted that when the fuel selector was manually moved and set to each tank position, it was very difficult to feel when the valve seated into each respective detent. When the pilot was asked if he had any previous problems with the fuel selector not seating in the detents, he said no. However, he did acknowledge that the detents were hard to feel and commented that when he first started flying the airplane, he did not realize that the fuel selector had any detents until he had flown the airplane for about 10 hours. Although possible, since the valve was moved by first responders after the accident, it could not be determined if the loss of engine power was the result of an improperly seated fuel selector valve.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA15FA241 for the full record.