20221218018669I

Incident · No damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-28-140 · Holden, LA · December 18, 2022

Date: December 18, 2022 · 12:30 local
Place: Holden, LA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N1071X
Reported as: Piper PA-28-140
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,420 total58 in this make and model57 in the last 90 days

N1071XRegistered now · Piper PA-28-140S/N 28-7525274 · Built 1975 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-140 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot stated that during his trip the day before, he fueled up the aircraft at kreg (gonzales, LA) and returned to his home base at 2R5 (st. elmo, AL). On the day in question, he planned another 3 hour trip with intention to fuel up again at kreg. He stated the aircraft had about 35 gallons of fuel and he estimated he would use about 25 gallons. During the flight, he encountered stronger head winds than he anticipated which used more fuel than he had planned for. On depletion of tank #1, he switched over to tank #2 and realized he had only 4 gallons of fuel left. He did not believe he would make it to kreg, nor could he turn back to hdc (hammond, LA). He decided to set the aircraft down on an empty roadway in Holden, LA and called the local sheriff.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED THAT DURING HIS TRIP THE DAY BEFORE, HE FUELED UP THE AIRCRAFT AT KREG (GONZALES, LA) AND RETURNED TO HIS HOME BASE AT 2R5 (ST. ELMO, AL). ON THE DAY IN QUESTION, HE PLANNED ANOTHER 3 HOUR TRIP WITH INTENTION TO FUEL UP AGAIN AT KREG. HE STATED THE AIRCRAFT HAD ABOUT 35 GALLONS OF FUEL AND HE ESTIMATED HE WOULD USE ABOUT 25 GALLONS. DURING THE FLIGHT, HE ENCOUNTERED STRONGER HEAD WINDS THAN HE ANTICIPATED WHICH USED MORE FUEL THAN HE HAD PLANNED FOR. ON DEPLETION OF TANK #1, HE SWITCHED OVER TO TANK #2 AND REALIZED HE HAD ONLY 4 GALLONS OF FUEL LEFT. HE DID NOT BELIEVE HE WOULD MAKE IT TO KREG, NOR COULD HE TURN BACK TO HDC (HAMMOND, LA). HE DECIDED TO SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN ON AN EMPTY ROADWAY IN HOLDEN, LA AND CALLED THE LOCAL SHERIFF.