Low fuel causes crash in Sagaponack
November 29, 2011, 04:51 pm
A single-engine plane recently crashed in Sagaponack, New York, due to low fuel. The National Transportation Safety Board said only six to eight ounces of fuel were found in the tank at the crash site, but there were no signs of a leak.
According to the NTSB report, the pilot, Taylor Smith, said a half a tank of fuel was in the aircraft when he took off for a brief flight. The pilot took off from East Hampton Airport with passenger Daniel William III for an intended 30-minute flight. The plane flew over a private airstrip at Foster Farm, made an approach to the runway, and then accelerated and made a left turn.
East Hampton Patch reported witnesses told NTSB officials that they saw the plane start to land, then increase in power before losing power completely and plummeting. The engine also appeared to stutter and cut out momentarily before the plane finally stopped in a nearby corn field.
In an interview with 27 East Hampton, Smith's wife Sheila said both pilot and passenger have recovered from their injuries after being taken to Connecticut hospital. Sheila said Smith is working in Miami as a pilot for Atlas Air Worldwide, and that fuel was not an issue in the crash. Pilots should invest in insurance to protect against such incidences.
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