19970918027209A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-140 · Indianapolis, IN · September 18, 1997

Date: September 18, 1997 · 09:28 local
Place: Indianapolis, IN
Airport: Indianapolis International
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6421R
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI97LA297
Reported as: Piper PA28140
Fatal injuries: 0

N6421RRegistration cancelled Jan 8, 2000 · Piper PA-28-140S/N 28-21600 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-140

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Ran out of fuel on approach and crashed in a field northeast of the airport. (-23) fuel starvation approximately 4-5 miles from Indianapolis International Airport when engine quit. Aircraft went below glide path to runway 23R at (ind) striking a power line & impacting to ground, inverted approximately 1 mile from the end of runway 23R at (ind).

As the FAA filed it

RAN OUT OF FUEL ON APPROACH AND CRASHED IN A FIELD NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. (-23) FUEL STARVATION APPROXIMATELY 4-5 MILES FROM INDIANAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHEN ENGINE QUIT. AIRCRAFT WENT BELOW GLIDE PATH TO RUNWAY 23R AT (IND) STRIKING A POWER LINE & IMPACTING TO GROUND, INVERTED APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 23R AT (IND).

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI97LA297Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportIndianapolis, INthe pilot's improper planning/decision and failure to refuel the airplane in a timely manner, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A related factor was: trees in the emergency landing area.Sep 18, 1997 · Substantial damage