- Date
- November 22, 1998, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Iowa Falls, IA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2691TPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19981122031969A
- Case key
- 45341
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 improper preflight planning and preparation, and his not refueling the airplane. Factors were fuel exhaustion and the fence.
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 said that he departed Kansas City. Missouri, and flew to Fairbault, Minnesota. He then continued en route to Ames, Iowa. While in cruise flight the engine lost power and he switched fuel tanks; however, was unable to reach his destination when the engine again lost power. The pilot said that the airplane suffered fuel exhaustion. An examination of the airplane after the accident indicated no usable fuel in either fuel tank. No fuel stains were found on the bottom of the airplane or around the accident site. No fuel leaks were found around the fuel lines, from the fuel tanks to the engine. The fuel caps did not indicate any leaks.
Factual narrative
On November 22, 1998, at 1200 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N2691T, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing about four miles west of the Iowa Falls Airport, near Iowa Falls, Iowa. The pilot stated that the airplane suffered fuel starvation. The private pilot and two passengers reported no injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed Fairbault, Minnesota, about 1044.
In his written statement the pilot stated that he originally departed Kansas City, Missouri, at 0726 and proceeded to Fairbault, Minnesota, where he said he took 2 hours and 28 minutes. He said he departed Fairbault at 1044 with the intended destination of Ames, Iowa. He said that while in cruise flight the engine lost power on one tank, he selected the other tank, but was unable to continue to the intended destination due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot said that during the forced landing, the airplane impacted a fence with a wing, which rotated the airplane and resulted in substantial damage.
An examination of the airplane after the accident indicated no usable fuel in either fuel tank. No fuel stains were found on the bottom of the airplane or around the accident site. No fuel leaks were found around the fuel lines, from the fuel tanks to the engine. The fuel caps did not indicate any leaks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2691T
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7205065
- Airframe hours
- 4,065
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A3A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cloud One, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 25, 1998 · 100 hours before
- Departed
- FBL · Fairbault, MN
- Destination
- AMW · Ames, IA
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 137 total · 33 in this make and model · 89 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 17 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FOD, 37 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.