# Accident 19980715030019A: Piper PA28151, Anthon, IA, July 15, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 15, 1998, 01:30 local time - Place: Anthon, IA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Final Approach - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 42.3802° N, 95.8599° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3802&lon=-95.8599&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1473X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1473X-2013-08-15) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28-151 (registry code 7102805, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-151) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28151 - Reported engine: LYC O320E3D - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 110 total, 97 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA252](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA252) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980715030019A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ON A NIGHT VFR CROSS COUNTRY FROM CRESCO, IT TO COLUMBUS, NE WITH ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD, MR. GANSKOW ENCOUNTERED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM HIS EST AND SOUTHWEST. BECAUSE OF DECREASING FUEL SUPPLY HE ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A NORTH/SOUTH HARD SURFACE ROAD. THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE AND CRASHED INTO THE DITCH ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES. (.4) DURING AN INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS TIME ENROUTE TO ELLEN CHURCH FIELD WAS 2-1/2 HOURS. UPON ARRIVAL, HE VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL LEVEL IN EACH WING TANK AND STATED THAT IT WAS 'JUST BELOW THE TABS'. HE DID NOT OBTAIN ANY ADDITIONAL FUEL. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS CRUISE ALTITUDE ON RETURN TO COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT WAS 3500' MSL, THE POWER WAS SET TO 2300 RPM AND THE MIXTURE CONTOL WAS RETARDED 1/4'. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE PROGRESSION OF HIS CHECK POINTS ON RETURN TO COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT WAS AS SCHEDULED FOR APPROXIMATELY THE FIRST TWO HOURS, AFTER WHICH THE FLIGHT PROGRESSED SLOWER THAN PLANNED AND THAT THE FUEL GAUGES WERE NOW INDICATING 1/4 FUEL IN EACH TANK. MOONLIGHT WAS VISIBLE FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LIGHTNING WAS VISIBLE FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE SELECTED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK TO RESTART THE ENGINE SINCE THE LEFT TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. WITH 1/4 FUEL REMAINING IN THE RIGHT TANK, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD ONLY TWELVE MINUTES OF FUEL REMAINING, SO HE DECIDED TO LOOK FOR A LANDING AREA. WITH THUNDERSTORMS BETWEEN HIS LOCATION AND SIOUX GATEWAY AIRPORT, NEAR SIOUX CITY, IOWA, HE SEARCHED THE AREA AND DECIDED TO LAND ON A BLACK TOP ROAD. HE IMPACTED A POLE AND DID NOT WANT TO INITIATE A CLIMB BECAUSE HE WAS UNSURE AS TO THE CONDITION OF HIS FLIGHT CONTROLS. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE BY FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTORS REVEALED THAT ALL THE FUEL SUMP VALVES AND THE FUEL CAPS WERE IN THE CLOSED POSITION. FUEL WAS OBSERVED TO BE PRESENT IN THE LEFT TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SELECTED TO THE LEFT TANK. THE FAA ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE PILOT HAD BEEN BRIEFED ON CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY FOR HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. ## 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 CHI98LA252](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA252), Jul 15, 1998: Piper PA28-151 (N1473X), Anthon, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot-in-command's improper preflight planning, preparation and fuel management resulting in an unscheduled landing and impact with a pole. ## Other reports on N1473X (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19900217008089I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900217008089I), Feb 17, 1990: Piper PA28151 (N1473X), Columbus, NE. Student made forced landing on road due to 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.