# Accident 19980227002259A: Piper PA28180, Monroe, LA, February 27, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 27, 1998, 13:00 local time
- Place: Monroe, LA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.5295° N, 92.1094° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5295&lon=-92.1094&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7998W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7998W-2017-06-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28180
- Reported engine: LYC O360A3A
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,400 total, 144 in this make and model, 31 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA138](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA138) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980227002259A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL AND MADE AN EMERGENCYLANDING NEAR INTERSTATE 20, MONROE, LA. (.4)AFTER A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT OF 4 HOURS AND 24 MINUTES, THE AIRPLANE WAS 8 NAUTICAL MILES FROM ITS DESTINATION WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER.  THE PILOT INITIALLY SET UP FOR A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY;  HOWEVER, DUE TO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY, HE ELECTED TO LAND ADJACENT TO THE HIGHWAY.  DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A DITCH, IMPACTED A TREE, AND CAME TO A STOP.  WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS 13 NAUTICAL MILES FROM ITS DESTINATION, THE PILOT HAD ASKED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TO CHECK ON THE AVAILABILITY OF FUEL AT AN AIRPORT THE AIRPLANE WAS PASSING OVER.  THE CONTROLLER WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM THE AVAILABILITY OF FUEL, AND ALTHOUGH THE RIGHT FUEL GAGE WAS 'INDICATING NEARLY EMPTY,' THE PILOT DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT.  HE STATED THAT HE 'THOUGHT' THE AIRPLANE WOULD BE ABLE TO REACH THE DESTINATION WITHOUT DIFFICULTY SINCE HE HAD EXHAUSTED THE FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK EARLIER IN THE FLIGHT AND NOTED THAT THE 'FUEL GAGE REGISTERED EMPTY FOR 20 MINUTES OR SO BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT.'  THERE WAS NO LEAKAGE OR SPILLAGE OF FUEL AT THE A                                                                    CCIDENT SITE, AND THE RIGHT TANK WAS FOUND TO BE EMPTY.                   (-23) DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM DESTIN, FLORIDA, TO CHEYENNE, WYOMING, THE PILOT RAN THE AIRCRAFT OUT OF FUEL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN MONROE, LOUISIANA, FOR FUEL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98LA138](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA138), Feb 27, 1998: Piper PA-28-180 (N7998W), Monroe, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper decision to continue the flight after noting the low fuel quantity indication, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A factor was the lack of…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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