Piper PA-28-151 N75303

Summary

On 16 May 2002 at about 07:15 local time, a Piper PA-28-151 registered N75303 was involved in an accident near Port Columbus, Ohio, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 May 2002 at 07:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Columbus, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Rickenbacker International (LCK)

Coordinates

39.9167, -82.8333

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-151

Registration

N75303

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Utica → Columbus

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

IAD02LA051

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's exhaustion of his fuel supply. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

With a demonstrated fuel consumption rate of about 10 gallons per hour, the airplane departed on a return cross-country flight with a full 50-gallon fuel load, of which, 48 gallons was usable. The airplane encountered a headwind that averaged 36 knots, and the pilot changed altitude several times in search of more favorable wind. After 4.6 hours of flight, the engine stopped producing power. During the subsequent forced landing, the pilot declared to ATC that he had "run out of fuel." The airplane touched down on a highway where it nosed over. Examination of the airplane at the scene revealed no odor of fuel and no evidence of fuel spillage. The airplane was recovered, and a can of fuel was plumbed into the airplane's fuel system. The engine started immediately, and ran smoothly without interruption. The pilot did not update his weather briefing while the airplane was serviced, or at anytime during the return flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.