# NTSB investigations: Piper PA-28-181: Off-field or emergency landing

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB ERA25LA350](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA350.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Astatula, FL · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report · Sep 17, 2025 · N580JA · Substantial damage
  > On September 17, 2025 at 1000 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181 100i, N580JA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Astatula, Florida. The student pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a 14 Code of…
- [NTSB WPR25LA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA261.md): Piper PA-28-181 · San Diego, CA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report · Aug 17, 2025 · N8150J · Substantial damage
  > On August 16, 2025, about 1737 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N8150J, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near San Diego, California. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code…
- [NTSB ERA25LA141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA141.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Hollywood, FL · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Mar 12, 2025 · N3055B · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power was due to a fracture of the crankshaft at the No. 3 main journal, which originated from a preexisting, thermally induced crack that had gone undetected by maintenance personnel during an inspection performed as part of the…
- [NTSB CEN25LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA077.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Addison, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jan 15, 2025 · N504AF · Substantial damage
  > A partial loss of engine power during takeoff due to the partial blockage of the fuel diaphragm metering stem and the No. 1 cylinder fuel injector nozzle. Contributing to the accident was maintenance that allowed the introduction of debris that resulted in…
- [NTSB CEN24LA268](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA268.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Arcola, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jul 16, 2024 · N1941V · Substantial damage
  > Loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the mechanic’s failure to properly secure the fuel system gascolator strainer bowl following an annual inspection.
- [NTSB CEN24LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA121.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Watertown, SD · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Feb 25, 2024 · N38696 · Substantial damage
  > The stuck No. 2 cylinder exhaust valve, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power and a forced landing due to an undersized exhaust valve guide. Contributing to the accident were the improper manufacture of the engine cylinders, and the operation of…
- [NTSB CEN24LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA022.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Iola, KS · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 22, 2023 · N5324F · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
- [NTSB GAA20CA017](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA017.md): Piper PA28 · Dayton, OH · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 10, 2019 · N8078X · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation, a total loss of engine power, and an off-airport landing, during which the airplane struck a vehicle.
- [NTSB CEN19LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA053.md): Piper PA28 · Salem, SD · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 13, 2019 · N75191 · Substantial damage
  > The incapacitating effects of an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), which resulted in the pilot's loss of airplane control and impact with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA19LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA033.md): Piper PA28 · New Market, VA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 25, 2018 · N68DW · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power on takeoff due to restricted air flow to the engine.
- [NTSB ERA18LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA101.md): Piper PA28 · Chesapeake, VA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 13, 2018 · N5646V · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat during the approach for a touch-and-go landing, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during the subsequent takeoff.
- [NTSB ERA17CA186](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17CA186.md): Piper PA 28-181 · Bristow, VA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 21, 2017 · N8304F · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s and pilot’s mismanagement of the available fuel, which resulted in exhaustion of the fuel in the selected fuel tank and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB ERA16LA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA109.md): Piper PA28 · Port Jefferson, NY · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 21, 2016 · N29099 · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
- [NTSB WPR15LA237](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA237.md): Piper PA 28-181 · American Falls, ID · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 3, 2015 · N7963C · Substantial damage
  > The low flight time pilot's inadequate in-flight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a loss of engine power, and an off-airport landing in rough terrain.
- [NTSB WPR15LA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA217.md): Piper PA 28-181 · Las Vegas, NV · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 19, 2015 · N8740E · Destroyed
  > The engine's inability to produce full-rated power due to wear on internal engine components, which resulted in a loss of altitude and subsequent landing on uneven terrain. Contributing to the accident was the airplane owner's failure to maintain the engine…
- [NTSB ERA15LA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA217.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Corryton, TN · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 19, 2015 · N597JG · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the No. 4 engine cylinder due to fatigue, resulting in a catastrophic failure of the engine.
- [NTSB ERA15LA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA142.md): Piper PA28 · Jacksonville, FL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 27, 2015 · N2122K · Substantial damage
  > The total loss of engine power due to carburetor ice.
- [NTSB ERA14LA362](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA362.md): Piper PA28 · Venice, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 27, 2014 · N8826C · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s…
- [NTSB ERA14FA162](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA162.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Safety Harbor, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 22, 2014 · N8309L · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment due to cocaine use.
- [NTSB WPR13LA275](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA275.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Waihee-Waiehu, HI · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 17, 2013 · N9160Q · Substantial damage
  > The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies due to saltwater immersion.
- [NTSB WPR12LA161](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA161.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Casper, WY · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 8, 2012 · N30997 · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to a failed piston pin plug, which resulted in engine oil contamination and subsequent oil starvation. Contributing to the loss of power was the failure of maintenance personnel to identify contaminants…
- [NTSB ERA09LA296](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA296.md): Piper PA-28 · Dingman, PA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 18, 2009 · N4130W · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power in flight due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel planning.
- [NTSB WPR09LA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA164.md): Piper PA-28-181 · Firebaugh, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 24, 2009 · N1857H · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel planning and monitoring.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('7102807', '7102832')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '440' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence?model=7102807

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