Piper PA-28-181 N8503E

Summary

On 31 July 1985 at about 16:20 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N8503E was involved in an accident near Eureka, Wisconsin, United States. 5 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

31 July 1985 at 16:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Eureka, Wisconsin, United States

Coordinates

43.9995, -88.8401

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N8503E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sebring → Oshkosh

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI85FA325

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

PRIOR TO TAKEOFF THE PILOT CALCULATED THAT WITH 48 GALLONS OF FUEL HE COULD MAKE THE FOUR HOUR FLIGHT TO OSHKOSH WITH ONE HOUR OF FUEL TO SPARE. UPON ARRIVING AT A POINT 25 MI SW OF OSHKOSH HE RECEIVED A REQUEST TO DESCEND 1200 FT, A REQUEST TO CLIMB 1200 FT AND A REQUEST TO CHANGE HEADING NUMBEROUS TIMES. HE COMPLIED WITH THESE REQUESTS WHICH WERE NECESSARY TO WORK HIM INTO THE TRAFFIC FLOW WHICHWAS CONGESTED DUE TO THE ANNUAL EAA FLY-IN. HIS ENGINE BEGAN TO FAIL DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND HE PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING WHICH SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED THE AIRCRAFT. FAA PERSONNEL STATED THAT IF THE PILOT WOULD HAVE WARNED THEM ABOUTHIS FUEL STATE BEFORE THE ENGINE BEGAN TO FAIL, THEY WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM A MORE DIRECT ROUTING TO THE RUNWAY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.