- Date
- May 3, 1996, 22:05 local (May 4, 1996, 02:05 UTC)
- Place
- Bath, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9549JPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report February 1, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960503009429A
- Case key
- 39175
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 in-flight decision and planning, and his mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the loss of engine power. Darkness and low clouds in the emergency landing area were related factors.
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 pilot was en route at night in instrument meteorological conditions when he realized that he was low on fuel. He decided to divert to Allentown, Pennsylvania. About 3 miles from the airport, the engine lost power. During a subsequent forced landing, the airplane collided with a tree and was damaged. According to the pilot, '...After some time flying I realize that the headwinds (were) stronger than when I did my flight planning, but I (took) action too late.' Examination of the airplane by the FAA revealed the fuel tanks were empty. There were no breaks or leaks in the fuel tanks or fuel lines. No mechanical malfunction was reported by either the pilot or the FAA. The pilot reported he had 36 gallons of fuel onboard at the time of departure. According to records, the airplane had been operated over 4 hours at the time of the power loss.
Factual narrative
On May 3, 1996, at 2205 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N9549J, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Bath, Pennsylvania. The commercial pilot received minor injuries, and the passenger received serious injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was operated on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight had departed from Concord, New Hampshire about 1806.
The flight originated at Mr. Washington, New Hampshire, with full tanks, and was destined for Perkasie, Pennsylvania. Due to deteriorating weather shortly after departure, the pilot landed at Concord, New Hampshire, received a weather briefing, and filed an IFR flight plan. The pilot said he had about 36 gallons onboard at departure from Concord. ATC records indicated that the flight departed Concord about 1902.
In the NTSB Accident Report, the pilot stated:
"...After some time flying I realize that the headwind is stronger than when I did my flight planning, but I take action too late. I'm at the time closest to Mr. Pocono Airport, but because of low ceilings and that they don't have a precision approach made me decide to continue to Allentown Intl. I'm getting vectors for ILS 13 when I run out of fuel on one tank. Switches and getting power back. Telling approach to get me straight in and they say I can try ILS back course 24. I do so and are coming out of the clouds at 900 feet with no engine. I tell approach that I have the airport in sight, but won't make it. Get some power for a very short period but not enough to make the airport. I'm going down and I try to land it at a dark spot next to a small road. I'm lucky and hit the top of a bushy tree that slows us down enough to make the impact with mother earth not to hard...."
On site examination by the FAA revealed that the fuel tanks and fuel lines were intact and empty.
The 2151 weather observation at Allentown recorded a ceiling of 900 feet overcast, and visibility of 2 1/2 miles with fog.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9549J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-3678
- Airframe hours
- 3,254
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Morton I. Linnes
- Registered owner
- Pending
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 16, 1996 · 32 hours before
- Departed
- CON · Concord, NH
- Destination
- N70 · Perkasie, PA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ABE · Allentown, runway 6, 7,600 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 29
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,050 total · 500 in this make and model · 1,950 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 40° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 2.5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABE, 3 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.