# Accident 20050615012309A: Piper PA28181, Belton, MO, June 15, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 15, 2005, 00:20 local time
- Place: Belton, MO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.8353° N, 94.4283° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8353&lon=-94.4283&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6294C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6294C) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28181
- Reported engine: LYC O360*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,002 total, 560 in this make and model, 43 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI05CA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA142) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050615012309A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE PILOT FLEW FROM THE KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, AREA, TO MARION, ILLINOIS, WITH ONE STOP, IN ABOUT 2.5 HOURS. HE PURCHASED 20 GALLONS OF FUEL THERE, THINKING IT LEFT ABOUT 40 GALLONS FOR THE RETURN TRIP, WHICH WAS PLANNED TO TAKE ABOUT 2.7 HOURS. THE POH INDICATES THAT THE AIRPLANE SHOULD BURN 10.5 GALLONS PER HOUR AT THE POWER SETTING HE NORMALLY USES. AFTER REFUELING, HE REPOSITIONED THE AIRPLANE TO PJY, A 15-MINUTE FLIGHT, AND LEFT IT OUTSIDE ALL DAY. 2.5 HOURS INTO THE NIGHT RETURN FLIGHT, THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION, RESULTING IN A NIGHT, OFF-AIRPORT, FORCED LANDING AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. AT NO POINT AFTER REFUELING WAS THE FUEL ON BOARD ACTUALLY MEASURED, BUT THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED NEARLY FULL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE ONLY PHYSICAL FUEL INDICATORS ARE "FULL", OR "TO THE TABS" IN THE TANKS, WHICH INDICATES 17.

## 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 CHI05CA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA142), Jun 15, 2005: Piper PA-28-181 (N6294C), Raymore, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of total engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight. A factor was the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.

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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