PIPER PA28
Louisville, KY — October 8, 2010
Event Information
| Date | October 8, 2010 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA11CA013 |
| Event ID | 20101008X84830 |
| Location | Louisville, KY |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 38.22805, -85.66361 |
| Airport | Bowman Field Airport |
| Highest Injury | MINR |
Aircraft
| Make | PIPER |
| Model | PA28 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | NITE |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 4 |
| None | 0 |
| Total Injured | 4 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power.
Full Narrative
According to the pilot, during his preflight planning, he estimated the fuel to be at 40 gallons by calculating fuel burn from two previous flights. The pilot departed for destination planning to land with 45 minutes of fuel reserve. The pilot stated that the airplane encountered winds stronger than forecast en-route and the airplane consumed more fuel than estimated. On descent for landing, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to glide to the runway; however, he decided to land on a freeway when "airspeed and maintenance on the glide slope slipped away." The airplane landed in the middle lanes of the freeway, skidded on the pavement and came to rest in a ditch resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and horizontal stabilizer. Post-accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed that both tanks were absent of fuel and that no pre-impact mechanical anomalies existed.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.