# NTSB CEN24LA351: Piper PA-28-140, N1429T, Schaumburg, IL, September 11, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 11, 2024, 10:46 local (15:46 UTC)
- Place: Schaumburg, IL
- Coordinates: 41.989341, -88.101243 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9893&lon=-88.1012&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO Chicago
- NTSB case key (mKey): 195104
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA351
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195104/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195104
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA351

## Probable cause

The flight crew’s fuel mismanagement resulting in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md)
- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 42 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Approach: Fuel starvation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 733 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/191/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor was giving instruction to a private pilot. After an uneventful flight, the airplane was near its intended destination airport to make a full stop landing. The engine lost power and a forced landing was made about 0.27 miles from the airport. During the landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The airplane had usable fuel in the right fuel tank. The flight instructor and the pilot receiving instruction had selected the left fuel tank, which ran dry. The engine lost power due to fuel starvation. The operator stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1429T](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1429T-2025-07-10), registration cancelled 2025-07-10, S/N 28-7225512, built 1972 (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: 28-7225512
- Year built: 1972
- Engines: Lycoming O-320/E3D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 7, 2024, 5,710 hours before
- Departed: JVL, Janesville, WI
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: O6C, Schaumburg Regional Airport
- Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 34; injuries: minor; flight instructor, private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 5, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 368 total, 38 in this make and model, 120 in the last 90 days, 65 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot; age 19; injuries: none; private, student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 20, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 93 total, 3 in this make and model, 53 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observed at: KORD, 7 nm away
- METAR: KORD 111551Z 19006KT 10SM FEW250 27/11 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP189 T02670106

## 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 20240911016239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240911016239A), Sep 11, 2024: Piper PA-28-140, Schaumburg, IL, Substantial damage. On September 11, 2024, an instructional flight in a Piper cherokee, PA28-140 was operated from Schaumburg Regional Airport (06C) to southern Wisconsin regional…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195104. 7.9 MB in all.

- Memorandum for the record fueling summary for N1429T CEN24LA351 (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 118 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17761460&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20Fueling%20Summary%20for%20N1429T%20CEN24LA351_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Overhead accident site diagrams CEN24LA351 (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 360 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17761745&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Overhead%20Accident%20Site%20Diagrams%20CEN24LA351-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs CEN24LA351 (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17761295&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs%20CEN24LA351-Rel.pdf
- NTSB form 6120 pilot operator report with continuation narratives CEN24LA332 (item 4, PDF, 19 pages, 5.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17761755&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20Pilot%20Operator%20Report%20with%20Continuation%20Narratives%20CEN24LA332_Redacted-Rel.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.

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