# NTSB MIA98LA044: Piper PA-28-180, N9640J, Everglades City, FL, December 22, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 22, 1997, 18:47 local (23:47 UTC) - Place: Everglades City, FL - Location: 25.8601° N, 81.3804° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Everglades City, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.8601&lon=-81.3804&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report October 30, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38438 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA98LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38438/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA044 ## Probable cause the pilot's improper fuel management and improper in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and a forced landing. Related factors were: the light conditions at dusk, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing. ## Analysis Postcrash interview with the pilot revealed he based his decision to not make an intermediate fuel stop on the fact that he had 14 gallons remaining when he did refuel at Naples Municipal Airport on a recent, identical trip. He rationalized that because heavy headwinds were encountered that first trip and he still had 14 gallons remaining when he landed for refueling, that this flight's fuel requirements would make a fuel stop unnecessary. He overflew Naples and nearby Everglades Airpark, then the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. Miami ARTCC gave the pilot immediate vectors for Everglades Airpark, but his glide was about 6 miles short, and he crashed into mangrove trees within Everglades National Park. ## Factual narrative On December 22, 1997, about 1847 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180C, N9640J, registered to a private partnership, operated by Interstate Aircraft Services, as a 14 CFR 91 personal flight, crashed into a mangrove within U.S. National Park boundaries of the Florida Everglades. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and the private-rated pilot was receiving flight following from Miami ARTCC. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the pilot and passenger suffered minor injuries. The flight originated from Cook County Airport, Adel, Georgia, for Marathon, Florida, sometime between 1445 and 1530. Initial notification of the accident reported that the pilot radioed to Miami ARTCC, he was "low on fuel" followed shortly with a call that he was "out of fuel". The ARTCC controller gave the pilot an immediate reverse course vector to the nearest airport, Everglades Airpark; but instead, the airplane came to rest in mangrove trees on an island named "Un-named Island" about 6 miles south of the airport. The pilot had made the same trip with the same airplane about a month previously, and in that instance had refueled at Naples Municipal Airport, Naples, Florida. According to the pilot, in that instance he remembers the remaining fuel aboard was 14 gallons, and that fact, combined with his desire to arrive at Marathon during daylight hours, influenced his decision to not refuel the accident day. According to cruise performance charts contained in the aircraft operating handbook found in the wreckage, the trip could have been flown nonstop using procedures set forth therein. The charts state, "mixture leaned" and the pilot readily admits he used no leaning at any time during the flight. The owner/operator estimates departure time as 1445. The pilot estimates departure time as 1530. The airfield is non-towered, and no records were available. National Track Analysis Program, (NTAP) data supplied by Jacksonville ARTCC for N9640J, positions the airplane 12 miles south of Valdosta VOR at 9300 feet msl at 1532, (about 60 miles southeast of the departure point). The Park Rangers were the first on-scene, and stated there was no fuel smell at the crash site. On-site investigation of the wreckage by FAA personnel revealed both fuel tanks were ruptured in the crash, the adjacent foliage showed no signs of fuel spillage, and the engine or its components showed no signs of malfunction. Subsequent investigation of the wreckage by FAA and NTSB personnel revealed no fuel contained in the fuel filter or fuel lines, and about 3/4 inch of fuel in the bottom of the carburetor float chamber. The only record of rental flight time, either by tachometer time or Hobbs-meter time, was kept aboard the airplane, and was never recovered. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fuel management - improper, pilot in command (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing - light condition - dusk (contributing factor) - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) - terrain condition - swampy (contributing factor) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9640J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9640J-2018-01-25), registration cancelled 2018-01-25, S/N 28-3864, built 1967 (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: 28-3864 - Airframe hours: 5970 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A3A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: William W. Lucas - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 1, 1997, 48 hours before - Departed: 15J, ADEL, GA - Destination: MTH, MARATHON, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 530 total, 30 in this make and model, 400 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 170° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 15,000 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: APF, 36 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 19971222043239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971222043239A), Dec 22, 1997: Piper PA28180, Everglades, FL, Substantial damage. Fuel depletion at night. Crashed into Everglades. Failed to lean. Failed refuel enroute. Endangered life another. (.19) on December 22, 1997, about 1847… ## Other investigations on N9640J (3) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MIA96LA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA96LA154), Jun 9, 1996: Piper PA-28-180 (N9640J), Jasper, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inaccurate fuel consumption calculations which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the unsuitable terrain encountered during… - [NTSB OAK71DXQ24](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK71DXQ24), Nov 16, 1970: Piper PA-28 (N9640J), Winnemucca, NV, substantial damage - [NTSB SEA67D0338](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA67D0338), Jun 3, 1967: Piper PA-28 (N9640J), Salmon, ID, substantial damage From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; 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.