Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70814
Sunday, January 12, 1997 11:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed on an IFR flight plan with a fuel endurance of 5 hours and 24 minutes and with an estimated time en route of 4 hours and 23 minutes. The airplane ran out of fuel after 5 hours and 26 minutes of flight. The pilot reported to ATC that the airplane ran out of fuel 10 miles east of his destination. ATC provided a vector direct to the airport; however, the airplane was not able to reach the airport and landed on a four-lane road approximately 4 miles southeast of the airport. The airplane contacted a power line prior to touching down on the highway. The pilot stated that during the landing roll, the right main landing gear was torn off after impacting the median curb and the right wing sustained structural damage after impacting a residential mail box. Examination of the airplane's fuel system revealed that the fuel selector was in the left tank position and the right wing tank was found empty; however, the tank was compromised. The left wing fuel cell contained 1 cup of fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/12/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BATON ROUGE
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70814
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID BTR
Elevation of weather observation facility 70
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 8 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N33037
NTSB Number FTW97LA080
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7505113
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 30 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 1750
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID J. DEAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11331 CORTEZ BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City BROOKSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34613
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BKV
Departure City BROOKSVILLE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BTR
Destination City BATON ROUGE
Destination State LA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --