- Date
- September 7, 2024, 15:50 local (20:50 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Island, NE
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N704VPPiper PA-28-180
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration, Lincoln FSDO
- FAA report
- 20240907015089A
- Case key
- 195083
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/preparation that resulted in fuel exhaustion during cruise flight, a total loss of engine power, and an impact with terrain during a forced landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he checked both wing fuel tanks by looking into their fuel filler ports prior to performing three takeoffs and landings at the departure airport to meet regulatory pilot currency requirements. There was about ¼ tank of fuel remaining in both tanks prior the flight. When the pilot completed the three takeoffs and landings, he taxied to the airport ramp to load bags and two passengers. The pilot then departed towards the destination airport where he planned on obtaining fuel and engine oil. About 10 mi from the destination airport, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. The airplane impacted terrain and sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no useable fuel. The pilot stated that the airplane experienced a loss of engine power because it ran out of fuel. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N704VP
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-2888
- Built
- 1965
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 07K · Central City, NE
- Destination
- GRI · Grand Island, NE
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 24, 2024
- Flight hours
- 193 total · 75 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- GRI, 5 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 3, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB 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.