19980124000539A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-38-112 · Laurens, SC · January 24, 1998

Date: January 24, 1998 · 13:07 local
Place: Laurens, SC
Airport: Laurens County Airport
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N2609K
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL98LA040
Reported as: Piper PA38112
Reported engine: Lycoming O235L2C
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 320 total34 in the last 90 days

N2609KRegistration cancelled Apr 14, 1999 · Piper PA-38-112S/N 38-79A0686 Airframe modelPiper PA-38-112

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.

Unable land at planned fuel stop. Selected another 34C but ran out of fuel prior. Pulled up avoid wires. Stalled. (-23) the pilot departed lyh at about 09:30 am and due to weather enroute, he had to deviate from his intended flight path. The engine quit and the pilot landed in an apple orchard about 4 miles from the intended airport, 34A. While investigating the accident there was no fuel in the fuel tanks and less than an ounce in the fuel bowl. The pilot stated in a telephone interview that he ran out of fuel.

As the FAA filed it

UNABLE LAND AT PLANNED FUEL STOP. SELECTED ANOTHER 34C BUT RAN OUT OF FUEL PRIOR. PULLED UP AVOID WIRES. STALLED. (-23) THE PILOT DEPARTED LYH AT ABOUT 09:30 AM AND DUE TO WEATHER ENROUTE, HE HAD TO DEVIATE FROM HIS INTENDED FLIGHT PATH. THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE PILOT LANDED IN AN APPLE ORCHARD ABOUT 4 MILES FROM THE INTENDED AIRPORT, 34A. WHILE INVESTIGATING THE ACCIDENT THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS AND LESS THAN AN OUNCE IN THE FUEL BOWL. THE PILOT STATED IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW THAT HE RAN OUT OF FUEL.

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 ATL98LA040Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLaurens, SCThe pilot's inadequate weather evaluation that resulted in initiating flight in marginal visual conditions, and resulted in fuel exhaustion.Jan 24, 1998 · Substantial damage