What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft ran out of fuel en route, made emergency landing in the west bound lanes of I20, right wing rode up on a guard rail, right main gear tore off. (-23) on August 15, 1998 at approximately 0453 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N8770C, impacted the guard rail IH-20 going west near the 2600 block in grand prairie, Texas while attempting an emergency landing. The aircraft received substantiall damage to the wings, landing gear and fuselage structure. The private pilot Mr. Don wesley williams and two passengers received no injuries. Mr. Williams had began the flight from shreveport, la at approximately 0300 and was headed to Arlington municipal airport (F54). On approach Mr. Williams was not sure of his position and contacted the forth worth flight service station for assistance. The fort worth fss provided him assistance on two occasions (25 and 13 minutes prior to impact) and 5 minutes prior to impact handed him off to dfw approach. Mr. Williams never made contact with dfw approach. Prior to impact, Mr. Williams exhausted his fuel supply at an altitude of approximately 2000 ft and attempted to make an emergency landing. The aircraft initially touched down in the cent er lane of the 2600 block of w.IH-20 (westbound). The aircraft skidded and struck the north (right lane) guardrail and continued approximately 245 feet on the guardrail before coming to a rest. The aircraft fuel tanks were drained prior to removing the wings to get the aircraft off the guardrail. Approximately one cup total fuel was drained from the sumps on right and left tanks. Mr. Williams had flown from Arlington, TX. To shreveport. La. On 08/14/98 with full fuel tanks (arrived approximately 2100 central daylight time). He did not take on additional fuel in shreveport and attempted to return to Arlington on the remaining fuel. Mr. Williams had last slept on Thursday night (08/13/98).
As the FAA filed it
ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL EN ROUTE, MADE EMERGENCY LANDING IN THE WEST BOUND LANES OF I20, RIGHT WING RODE UP ON A GUARD RAIL, RIGHT MAIN GEAR TORE OFF. (-23) ON AUGUST 15, 1998 AT APPROXIMATELY 0453 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-181, N8770C, IMPACTED THE GUARD RAIL IH-20 GOING WEST NEAR THE 2600 BLOCK IN GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIALL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, LANDING GEAR AND FUSELAGE STRUCTURE. THE PRIVATE PILOT MR. DON WESLEY WILLIAMS AND TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED NO INJURIES. MR. WILLIAMS HAD BEGAN THE FLIGHT FROM SHREVEPORT, LA AT APPROXIMATELY 0300 AND WAS HEADED TO ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (F54). ON APPROACH MR. WILLIAMS WAS NOT SURE OF HIS POSITION AND CONTACTED THE FORTH WORTH FLIGHT SERVICE STATION FOR ASSISTANCE. THE FORT WORTH FSS PROVIDED HIM ASSISTANCE ON TWO OCCASIONS (25 AND 13 MINUTES PRIOR TO IMPACT) AND 5 MINUTES PRIOR TO IMPACT HANDED HIM OFF TO DFW APPROACH. MR. WILLIAMS NEVER MADE CONTACT WITH DFW APPROACH. PRIOR TO IMPACT, MR. WILLIAMS EXHAUSTED HIS FUEL SUPPLY AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 2000 FT AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN IN THE CENT ER LANE OF THE 2600 BLOCK OF W.IH-20 (WESTBOUND). THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED AND STRUCK THE NORTH (RIGHT LANE) GUARDRAIL AND CONTINUED APPROXIMATELY 245 FEET ON THE GUARDRAIL BEFORE COMING TO A REST. THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS WERE DRAINED PRIOR TO REMOVING THE WINGS TO GET THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE GUARDRAIL. APPROXIMATELY ONE CUP TOTAL FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE SUMPS ON RIGHT AND LEFT TANKS. MR. WILLIAMS HAD FLOWN FROM ARLINGTON, TX. TO SHREVEPORT. LA. ON 08/14/98 WITH FULL FUEL TANKS (ARRIVED APPROXIMATELY 2100 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME). HE DID NOT TAKE ON ADDITIONAL FUEL IN SHREVEPORT AND ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO ARLINGTON ON THE REMAINING FUEL. MR. WILLIAMS HAD LAST SLEPT ON THURSDAY NIGHT (08/13/98).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.