- Date
- December 2, 2016, 18:28 local (23:28 UTC)
- Place
- Thomson, GA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2367RPiper PA 28
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 20, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 94459
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, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the total loss of engine power.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while on a cross-country flight, he diverted from his destination to a nearby airport due to low fuel. He added that the right fuel tank "went dry" and that the engine lost power on downwind, so he switched to the left fuel tank, and the engine momentarily restarted before it experienced a total power loss of power on base. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the instrument landing system lights, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He reported that he miscalculated the fuel and "ran out of gas." A postaccident examination found about 1 cup of fuel in one of the tanks.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while on a cross country flight he diverted from his destination to a nearby airport due to low fuel. He added that the right fuel tank "went dry" and the engine lost power on downwind, so he switched to the left fuel tank and the engine momentarily restarted before it experienced a total power loss on base. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the instrument landing system lights, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2367R
- Reported as
- Piper PA 28 (180)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-5498
- Built
- 1969
- Airframe hours
- 2,955
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 2, 2016
- Departed
- KLEE · Leesburg, FL
- Destination
- HQU · Thomson, GA
- Airport
- HQU · Thomson-Mcduffie County, runway 28, 5,514 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 12, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 605 total · 50 in this make and model · 540 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- KHQU
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.