- Date
- May 5, 1988, 23:50 local (May 6, 1988, 03:50 UTC)
- Place
- Everglades City, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N285DPPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880505030549A
- Case key
- 32177
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 plt stated when the flt departed, there was 33 gals of fuel aboard for the x-c daylight flight. Fuel burn for the acft was approx 8 gph. The flt to the dest required about 1.5 hrs. The plt stated that he intended to refuel at his destination, but the FBO was closed for his night return flt. The plt stated that he had some pretty good headwinds on the return flt & had to fly well east of his intended course in order to stay over lighted areas in order to maintain a horizon. While over the Everglades & declaring to ATC that he was low on fuel, he was being radar vectored to the nearest arpt when the eng quit & a night forced landing was performed. A ldg was accomplished on a dirt road, but the road curved and the aircraft could not make the curve and hit a tree. After the accident no fuel was found in the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N285DP
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 287725206
- Airframe hours
- 2,641
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Orlando, James R.
- Registered owner
- Orlando, James R.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 22, 1987 · 72 hours before
- Departed
- EYW · Key West, FL
- Destination
- FMY · Fort Myers, FL
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 91 total · 91 in this make and model · 62 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FMY, 46 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.