# Accident 20001012043039A: Piper PA28140, East Lansing, MI, October 12, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 12, 2000
- Place: East Lansing, MI
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.7909° N, 84.5909° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.7909&lon=-84.5909&mi=10
- Aircraft: N732FL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N732FL-2003-12-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI01LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA009) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001012043039A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON 10/12/00 ACFT N732FL DEPARTED WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON AIRPORT AT 5:01 PM LOCAL AFTER TOPPING OFF WITH FUEL (50 GAL CAPACITY). PILOT STATES HE VISUALLY CHECKED FUEL LEVEL PRIOR TO DEPARTING FOR LANSING. AIRCRAFT FILED NO FLIGHT PLAN, BUT DID FLIGHT FOLLOWING 2775 SW CODE. AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED DIRECT ERIE PA. THEN FOLLOWED SHORELINE TOWARD SANDUSKY, OH. TRAFFIC AT CLEVELAND REQUIRED A VECTOR OFF-SHORE 15-20 MILES. PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD INTENDED TO REFUEL AT SANDUSKY, OH., BUT DUE TO THE OVER-WATER VECTOR HE THEN DECIDED TO GO DIRECT TO LANSING OMITTING THE FUEL STOP. PILOT HAD ALSO STATED THAT HE FELT THAT HE HAD ADEQUATE FUEL TO GO DIRECT. AFTER APPROX. 4HRS 35 MINS OF FLIGHT FUEL STARVATION OCCURRED 4.5 MILES EAST OF DESTINATION. PILOT STATED THAT HE MADE AN ATTEMPT TO STAY ALOFT AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, AND LOOK FOR A PLACE TO PUT THE ACFT DOWN. AIRCRAFT WAS NOSED INTO A RESIDENTIAL BACKYARD AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMI^ ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT 2130 LOCAL, ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD COME DOWN THROUGH SOME TREES AND LANDED ACROSS A FENCELINE. THE WRECKAGE WAS POSITIONED NOSE-DOWN TO THE GROUND, THE TAIL WAS ABOUT 8FT UP A TREE LEANING AGAINST IT, THE FUSELAGE WAS ROTATED APPROX. 90DEGREES ON IT'S LEFT HAND SIDE. BOTH FUEL CAPS WERE STILL ON AND SECURED WITH NO EVIDENCE OF LEAKAGE OR STREAKING IN THE AREA. FUEL CELLS WERE FOUND TO BE INTACT, BUT NO FUEL FOUND IN TANKS. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE FOUND ON OR AROUND AIRCRAFT. NO FUEL SPILLAGE OR FUEL SMELL IN VICINITY OF AIRCRAFT.

## 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 CHI01LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA009), Oct 12, 2000: Piper PA-28-140 (N732FL), Lansing, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inaccurate preflight planning. Factors were the fuel exhaustion, the trees, and the bright night condition.

## Other reports on N732FL (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19740306004259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19740306004259A), Mar 6, 1974: Piper PA28140 (N732FL), Pottstown, PA, Substantial damage

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.