# Accident 20130929021429A: Piper PA-28-181, Algona, IA, September 29, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 29, 2013, 21:00 local time
- Place: Algona, IA
- Airport: Algona Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.0753° N, 94.2681° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.0753&lon=-94.2681&mi=10
- Aircraft: N31688, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N31688-2015-05-13) (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 PA-28-181
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 93 total, 90 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN13LA570](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA570) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130929021429A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE MADE A DECISION TO RE-ROUTE TO KAXA DIRECT TO REFUEL. WHILE ARRIVING AT THE TOWN OF ALGONA, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY. HE INDICATED HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE ALGONA AIRPORT RUNWAY LIGHTS ON.  THEN HE CIRCLED THE AIRPORT THREE TIMES TO TRY TO MAKE A VISUAL OF THE RUNWAY. ON THE FOURTH PASS AROUND, THE ENGINE STOPPED AND HE STARTED THE APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 30. A LANDING PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY WAS ATTEMPTED IN THE GRASS. A HARD LANDING OCCURRED AND AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

## 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 CEN13LA570](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA570), Sep 30, 2013: Piper PA 28-181 (N31688), Algona, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to ensure he had sufficient fuel on board to complete the planned flight. Contributing to the accident was the incomplete information provided by…

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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