- Date
- February 15, 1982, 18:30 local (Feb 16, 1982, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Des Moines, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N44710Piper PA-28-151
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820215004149A
- Case key
- 70463
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 aircraft had not been refueled after a previous flight of about one hour. The pilot visually checked the fuel and estimated 41 gallons remaining. He believed that he had about 5.2 hours of fuel. During an IFR flight, he diverted for an enroute fuel stop with what he thought was more than sufficient fuel. However, the engine stopped operating about 4.5 miles from the airport. The pilot make a forced landing on an interstate highway after about 4.3 hours of flight time. During the landing roll, the wings hit metal reflectors at the end of a bridge. An investigation revealed both fuel tanks were empty. The pilot stated that he had a considerable amount of time in the Piper PA-28, but his time in a warrior was more limited.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N44710
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-151
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7515012
- Airframe hours
- 1,428
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Webster City Iron & Metal, Inc
- Registered owner
- Webster City Iron & Metal, Inc
- Departed
- Clarksville, TN
- Destination
- Webster City Ia
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- DSM · Des Moines Muni
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 900 total · 649 in this make and model · 733 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 102 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DSM, 5 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.