# NTSB FTW98LA138: Piper PA-28-180, N7998W, Monroe, LA, February 27, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 27, 1998, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Monroe, LA - Coordinates: 32.529518, -92.109413 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5295&lon=-92.1094&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report December 8, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20545 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA138 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20545/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA138 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper decision to continue the flight after noting the low fuel quantity indication, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - normal - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - terrain condition - ditch - object - tree(s) ## Analysis After a cross-country flight of 4 hours and 24 minutes, the airplane was 8 nautical miles from its destination when the engine lost power. The pilot initially set up for a forced landing on a highway; however, due to traffic on the highway, he elected to land adjacent to the highway. During the landing, the airplane encountered a ditch, impacted a tree, and came to a stop. When the flight was 13 nautical miles from its destination, the pilot had asked air traffic control to check on the availability of fuel at an airport the airplane was passing over. The controller was unable to confirm the availability of fuel, and although the right fuel gage was 'indicating nearly empty,' the pilot decided to continue the flight. He stated that he 'thought' the airplane would be able to reach the destination without difficulty since he had exhausted the fuel in the left tank earlier in the flight and noted that the 'fuel gage registered empty for 20 minutes or so before the engine quit.' There was no leakage or spillage of fuel at the accident site, and the right tank was found to be empty. ## Factual narrative On February 27, 1998, at 1300 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-180 airplane, N7998W, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Monroe, Louisiana. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the Poudre Valley Flying Club of Fort Collins, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal cross country flight. The airplane departed from Destin, Florida, for the 325 nautical mile flight to Monroe at 0936 eastern standard time. During a telephone interview, conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, and in a written statement, the pilot reported that during his preflight inspection, he confirmed that both fuel tanks were filled "to the top." He positioned the fuel selector to the right tank for the takeoff from Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport. Upon reaching the Crestview VOR (located 28 nautical miles north-northwest of Destin), he switched to the left tank, and the selector remained in that position until the fuel in the left tank was exhausted "2 1/2 hours later." The pilot noted that "the fuel gage registered empty for 20 minutes or so before the engine quit." He then switched to the right tank "without incident." When the flight was passing over Rayville, Louisiana, located 13 nautical miles east of Monroe Regional Airport, the pilot asked the Monroe approach controller to check on the availability of fuel at Hooks Memorial Airport in Rayville. The controller was unable to confirm the availability of fuel at Hooks, and the pilot decided to continue towards Monroe. He stated that the right "fuel gage was indicating nearly empty, and I knew the left gage had registered empty for 20 minutes or so before the tank went dry, so I thought I would be able to reach Monroe without difficulty." At a flight time of 4 hours and 24 minutes, when the airplane was about 8 nautical miles east of Monroe, the engine lost power, and the pilot set up for a forced landing on Interstate 20. "At the final moments" of the approach, the pilot elected not to land on the highway due to a concern that he would "endanger motor vehicle traffic." He turned the airplane left to land adjacent to the highway, his remaining "option" since the "only field not covered with standing water" had "cattle scattered over it." The airplane's right wing "sheared about 10 feet off the top of [a] tree," and the airplane "proceeded level onto the far edge of a small muddy bayou." During the ground roll, the right wing impacted a tree, and the airplane rotated to the right and came to a stop. According to the pilot, during the impact sequence, the right wing sustained structural damage, the right main landing gear "sheared off," and the nose landing gear collapsed. He stated that there was "no fuel leakage or spillage" at the accident site, and he saw "no gas" in the right tank when he used a flashlight to look into the tank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7998W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7998W-2017-06-07), registration cancelled 2017-06-07, S/N 28-2058, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-2050 - Airframe hours: 6680 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A3A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Poudre Valley Flying Club - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 1997, 53 hours before - Departed: DTS, DESTIN, FL - Destination: MLU - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 3,400 total, 144 in this make and model, 2,900 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 7 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: MLU, 8 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980227002259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980227002259A), Feb 27, 1998: Piper PA28180, Monroe, LA, Substantial damage. Acft ran out of fuel and made an emergencylanding near interstate 20, Monroe, LA. (.4)after a cross-country flight of 4 hours and 24 minutes, the airplane was… ## Other investigations on N7998W (1) 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. - [NTSB FTW67D0583](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW67D0583), Apr 23, 1967: Piper PA-18 (N7998W), Tulia, TX, substantial damage 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.