- Date
- May 17, 1993, 13:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Canton, KY
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6943WPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930517039809A
- Case key
- 8772
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 inadequate preflight planning when determining his fuel load, which led to an exhaustion of the airplane's fuel supply.
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
The pilot stated that he had 25 gallons of fuel on board when he departed, but was unable to accurately verify his fuel load because the amount of fuel was below the tab in the tanks used for sight measurements. About two hours and 13 minutes into the flight, the engine lost power. The pilot decided to ditch the airplane in a shallow lake about four miles from the destination airport. An FAA inspector examined the airplane; the fuel tanks were not compromised and contained about one quart of fuel in each tank. This amount is less than the published usable fuel quantity for the airplane. No mechanical malfunctions were found.
Factual narrative
On May 17, 1993, about 1315 hours eastern daylight time, a Piper PA 28 140, N6943W, registered to Robert G. Wadeson, Jr., was substantially damaged during a forced landing. The private pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight departed from Louisville, Mississippi, and was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
According to the pilot in his statement to the NTSB;
"On our second leg of flight from [New Orleans, Louisiana] to [Kokomo, Indiana], we stopped at Louisville for fuel. We took on 17 gallons, with 25 gallons on board we departed for Lake Barkley . . . . two hours and 13 minutes into the flight . . . the engine quit. . . . I put the plane down about 20 yards from shore in 3 to 4 feet of water."
According to the pilot in his statement to the FAA, he was unable to accurately determine his fuel load, because the amount of fuel was below the tab in the tanks used for sight measurements.
An examination by an FAA inspector at the accident site revealed that "approximately one quart of fuel from each of the two tanks . . . " was found, and the tanks were not compromised. The inspector also reported that the airplane ". . . suffered substantial damaged to the right wing."
No mechanical malfunctions were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6943W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-21123
- Airframe hours
- 3,585
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William Robinson
- Registered owner
- William Robinson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 22, 1993 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- LMS · Louisville, MS
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 192 total · 111 in this make and model · 150 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 66 °F
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 10, 1995, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 751 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.