# Accident 19980626030939A: Piper PA23160, Casper, WY, June 26, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 26, 1998, 15:00 local time
- Place: Casper, WY
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.8600° N, 106.7692° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.8600&lon=-106.7692&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4132P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4132P-2018-01-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-23-160 (registry code 7102304, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-160) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA23160
- Reported engine: LYC O320B1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 400 total, 20 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA288](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA288) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980626030939A

## Narrative

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

(.4)WHILE ON A PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT SPENT TIME CIRCUMNAVIGATING THUNDERSTORMS AND EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. HE CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD WHICH WAS ROUGH AND UNEVEN. THERE WAS A ROAD BESIDE THE FIELD WHICH WAS SUITABLE TO USE AS A RUNWAY FOR HIS EMERGENCY LANDING.  THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FUSELAGE DURING THE FORCED LANDING.  THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE A MULTIENGINE RATING, WAS INEXPERIENCED IN THE AIRCRAFT, AND HIS LAST BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED IN A SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT 17 YEARS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.                                                  (-23) ON JUNE 26, 1998, AT 1500 MST, A PIPER PA-23-260 SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AFTER A FORCED LANDING 18 MILES NORTH OF CASPER WY. DUE TO FUEL EXHAUTION. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VMC CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A FLIGHT FROM WATERTOWN, SOUTH DAKOTA TO CASPER, WY.

## 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 FTW98LA288](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA288), Jun 26, 1998: Piper PA-23-160 (N4132P), Casper, WY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper in-flight planning and decision making by selecting an inadequate landing area for an emergency landing when a suitable landing area was available. Factors were fuel exhaustion,…

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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