Incident Summary
A pilot departed from Marlboro Airport and flew to two other airports before landing at Miller Airport in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania. At that location, the engine was shut down. The pilot experienced difficulty starting the engine and remained on the ground for approximately one hour. According to an aviation safety inspector, the pilot stated that he and a passenger had consumed alcoholic beverages while experiencing the starting difficulty.
Flight to Old Bridge and Engine Failure
After departing Miller Airport, the pilot continued the flight. During cruise, the fuel selector was switched to the right tank. Approximately 20 minutes later, while on approach to land at Old Bridge, New Jersey, the engine lost power. During the subsequent emergency landing, the aircraft collided with trees about 25 feet above ground level, fell into a small creek, and came to rest against a large tree. No pre-impact part failure or malfunction was found.
Investigation Findings
Opened bottles of brandy, vodka, and orange juice were found in the aircraft. The left fuel tank had been 'topped off' at Marlboro Airport, but the right fuel tank had not been refueled for about a month. The pilot's logbook was not recovered. On an application for his last medical certificate, dated February 21, 1984, he stated he had 700 hours of total flight time.