Piper PA-28-180 N5397L
12 November 1994 · Alton, Illinois, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 12 November 1994 at about 01:50 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N5397L was involved in an accident near Alton, Illinois, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 01:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Alton, Illinois, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180
- Registration
- N5397L
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Chigago → Chesterfield
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- CHI95LA038
People
2 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to refuel. Factors associated with the accident were unsuitable terrain, the vehicle and building which the airplane contacted, and the dark night conditions.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
BEFORE DEPARTING FOR A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE PILOT HAD THE AIRPLANE REFUELED. ACCORDING TO HIS STATEMENTS, AND THE FUEL RECEIPT, THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED WITH ABOUT 36 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS CRUISING AT 4,500 FEET MSL WITH 75 PERCENT POWER. THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AFTER ABOUT 2 HOURS AND 29 MINUTES OF OPERATION. DURING ITS APPROACH TO A FORCED LANDING THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TRUCK, COMING TO REST AFTER STRIKING A BRICK WALL HEAD-ON. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S CARBURETOR WAS NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO COLLISION DAMAGE. ACCORDING TO THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER, AND AIRPLANE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK, THE ENGINE SHOULD CONSUME 10 GALLONS OF FUEL PER HOUR AT THE POWER SETTING CHOSEN BY THE PILOT. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE THAT WOULD PREVENT IT FROM PRODUCING POWER.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-28 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Jul 1994 | Piper PA-28-140 | Augusta, Maine, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 30 Oct 1994 | Piper PA-28-180C | Nunda, New York, United States | Raymond J. Marshall | No injuries | - |
| 5 Mar 1994 | Piper PA-28-180 | St. Matthews, South Carolina, United States | JB Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 31 Jul 1994 | Piper PA-28-181 | Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-28 | Woodland, California, United States | William R. LEE | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jan 1994 | Piper PA-28-180 | Boynton Beach, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
All 9,402 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul 1994 | Piper PA-28-140 | Kankakee, Illinois, United States | Koerner Aviation, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 17 Jul 1994 | Cessna 150 | Alton, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Apr 1994 | Remote Sensing CIRRUS VK-30 | Lk In the Hills, Illinois, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 22 Jul 1994 | Cessna 175 | Cottage Hill, Illinois, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 Jul 1994 | Piper PA-22 | Harvard, Illinois, United States | Edwin D. Swart | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jul 1994 | Hucke Ronald L PARSON-2P | Monmouth, Illinois, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |