- Date
- July 20, 1993, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Poplar Branch, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5764WPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930720024849A
- Case key
- 3241
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he planned the flight with what he believed to have been sufficient fuel. Enroute to the destination airport, the pilot encountered cloud conditions which forced him to deviate from the original planned route. After several minutes of searching for a suitable landing area, the pilot located pine island airport. The airplane touched down on the north runway, veered off the side of the runway, and collided with a fence. Examination of the airplane disclosed there was no fuel in the fuel tanks. The examination also failed to disclose a mechanical problem. The pilot reported that the engine continued to operate throughout sequence of events.
Factual narrative
On July 20, 1993, at 1800 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA28- 140, N5764W, collided with a fence while attempting a precautionary landing at a private airport near Poplar Branch, North Carolina. The personal flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91 with a valid visual flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the two occupants on board the airplane were not injured. The flight departed Statesboro, Georgia, at 1420 hours.
According to the pilot, he had flown between Statesboro and Elizabeth City several times and always reached the destination airport with approximately one hour of fuel on board. During this flight, he encountered weather conditions which required him to deviate from his planned course. After the engine sputtered a few times, the pilot realized that he was near exhausting his fuel supply and began searching for a place to make a precautionary landing. After several minutes of searching, the pilot located Pine Island Club Airport. During the landing roll on the north runway, the pilot lost control of the airplane, veered off the runway and collided with a fence. The pilot also stated that, the engine continued to operate throughout the entire approach and landing procedures.
There was no fuel in either fuel tank when the airplane was examined at the accident site.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5764W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-1546
- Airframe hours
- 2,866
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-EZ, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cribbs, Thomas E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 14, 1992 · 42 hours before
- Departed
- TDR · Statesboro, GA
- Destination
- ECG · Elizabeth City, NC
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- NONE · Pine Island Club Airport
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 183 total · 68 in this make and model · 183 as pilot in command · 52 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MQI, 25 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5764W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.