- Date
- April 25, 1998, 08:02 local (13:02 UTC)
- Place
- Lafayette, LA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N546RLerille P & W 1937
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980425007769A
- Case key
- 20584
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 fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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 lost power due to fuel exhaustion while on final approach to runway 22L. The pilot reported to the tower controller that the airplane was 'out of fuel.' The airplane landed 150 yards short of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted trees, a 'small' ditch, and came to rest inverted. No usable fuel was observed in either of the aircraft's two fuel tanks. No discrepancies were found that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane.
Factual narrative
On April 25, 1998, at 0802 central daylight time, a Lerille P & W 1937 amateur-built experimental airplane, N546R, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Lafayette, Louisiana. The non-instrument rated private pilot, the sole occupant, was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from the Lafayette Regional Airport, Lafayette, Louisiana, approximately 0700.
The 2,000 hour pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that he had accumulated a total of 13 hours in the single engine airplane. The pilot stated that the engine lost power while on final approach to runway 22L at the Lafayette Regional Airport. The airplane impacted trees during the landing roll and subsequently nosed over after impacting a "small" ditch, coming to rest in the inverted position. The airplane landed 150 yards short of the threshold of the runway.
An FAA representative reviewed the ATC recordings between the pilot and the tower controller. The pilot reported to the tower controller that the aircraft was "out of fuel."
An FAA inspector examined the airplane at the site and reported that both wings were destroyed and the center section of the fuselage sustained structural damage. He added that the engine mounts were broken and the engine was "tilted forward." No usable fuel was observed in either of the aircraft's two fuel tanks. No discrepancies were found that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N546R
- Reported as
- Lerille P & W 1937
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- JRY03
- Engine
- P&W R-985-AN1, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Red Lerille
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- LFT
- Airport
- LFT · Lafayette Regional, runway 22L, 7,651 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 13 in this make and model · 2,000 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LFT
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.