# NTSB BFO93LA094: Piper PA-28-140, N6943W, Canton, KY, May 17, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 17, 1993, 13:15 local (17:15 UTC) - Place: Canton, KY - Location: 36.7989° N, 87.9609° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Canton, KY, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7989&lon=-87.9609&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 17, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 8772 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO93LA094 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/8772/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=8772 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO93LA094 ## 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 In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, descent - normal - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fuel supply - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Ditching, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - water ## 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](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6943W-2018-03-12), registration cancelled 2018-03-12, S/N 28-21123, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-21123 - Airframe hours: 3585 - Engines: 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 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; 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 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930517039809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930517039809A), May 17, 1993: Piper PA28140, Cadiz, KY, Substantial damage. Engine quit nearing destination airport. Ditched in lake near shore. Fuel tanks empty of usable fuel. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 10, 1995, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=8772. 751 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 519 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40446165&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Supplement S (item 2, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40029439&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - 6120.4 Instruction Sheet (item 3, .PDF, 80 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40029441&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=6120.4%20Instruction%20Sheet-Master.PDF - FAA Accident Investigation Record (item 4, .PDF, 99 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40446166&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Accident%20Investigation%20Record-Redacted.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.