- Date
- December 28, 1989, 19:45 local (Dec 29, 1989, 01:45 UTC)
- Place
- Norfolk, NE
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8157RPiper PA-32-301
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 25, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891228057289A
- Case key
- 34920
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
Inproper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot and his delay in diverting to an alternate airport, which resulted in fuel exhaustion due to an inadequate supply of fuel. Factors related to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions, the pilot's lack of familiarity with the aircraft, and dark night.
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
While en route, the plt enctrd headwinds, but he thought he had sufficient fuel for the flt. However, during a VOR apch to land at night, he enctrd low clouds & was unable to see the airport at the missed apch point (map). He executed a missed apch & contacted minneapolis center 'for alternate airport with ILS or known VFR conditions due to fuel concern.' Vectors were provided, but his fuel was exhausted before reaching a suitable airport. Subsequently, an emergency landing was made in a cattle feed lot. Before stopping, the acft hit a feed trough & was damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8157R
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-8006066
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dewey, Arland R.
- Departed
- RFD · Rockford, IL
- Destination
- ONL · Norfolk, NE
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 273 total · 9 in this make and model · 270 as pilot in command · 42 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 340° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OFK, 1 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.
Other investigations on N8157R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.