- Date
- January 16, 1989, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bogalusa, LA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8782LPiper PA-25-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890116000689A
- Case key
- 22723
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 failure to refuel the airplane prior to the last takeoff resulting in an inadequate fuel supply for the flight.
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 engine quit approximately four minutes after takeoff, and the airplane hit the tops of trees then the ground during the forced landing. The pilot had stopped at two airports where he was unable to get fuel. He said he saw enough fuel in the tank to run the engine for from 45 minutes to an hours, and the gauge indicated 12 to 13 gallons before takeoff. The engine was installed in another airframe after the accident and it started and ran normally.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8782L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-5470
- Airframe hours
- 2,910
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Hailey Aviation Services
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 11, 1989 · 5 hours before
- Destination
- OR9 · Hammond, LA
- Airport
- BXA
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total · 5 in this make and model · 1,400 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.