# Accident 20041204032949A: Piper PA30, Atlantic, IA, December 4, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 4, 2004, 18:18 local time
- Place: Atlantic, IA
- Airport: Atlantic Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.4072° N, 95.0469° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4072&lon=-95.0469&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7803Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7803Y-2007-03-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-30 (registry code 7103002, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-320 series (registry code 41509, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA30
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,350 total, 50 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI05CA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA041) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041204032949A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINES BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. HE CANCELLED IFR AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT THE ATLANTIC, IOWA, AIRPORT. BOTH ENGINES QUIT SIMULTANEOUSLY AND PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE IT TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A SMALL TREE AND CONTINUED FORWARD TO COME TO REST SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. NO INJURIES REPORTED FOR THE PILOT OR TWO PASSENGERS. PILOT STATED TO INSPECTOR ^PRIVAC^ THAT HE THOUGHT HE RAN OUT OF FUEL. A PASSENGER THAT WAS ALSO A PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THEY RAN OUT OF FUEL. UPON CHECKING THE FUEL TANKS, THE INSPECTOR DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT OUTBOARD TANK HAD APPROXIMATELY THREE INCHES OF FUEL REMAINING. THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCHES WERE STILL SET FOR THE "MAIN" TANKS, WHICH ARE THE INBOARD TANKS ON THE AIRCRAFT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

## 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 CHI05CA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA041), Dec 5, 2004: Piper PA-30 (N7803Y), Atlantic, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion. The dark night light conditions was a contributing factor.

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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