Rice Lake Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Barron, Wisconsin 54812
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 13:25 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About 4.4 hours after departure on a cross-country flight, the airplane experienced a complete loss of engine power about 5 miles from the destination airport. The pilot was unable to restart the engine after switching fuel tanks, a forced landing was made to a nearby field, and the landing gear collapsed during the landing roll. The pilot stated that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion and was not the result of a mechanical malfunction of the engine.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power, which resulted from fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/29/2011
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1325
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Barron
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54812
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 452427N
Event Location Longitude 0915004W
Event Location Airport Rice Lake Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KRPD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1109
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1315 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID KRPD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1109
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KRPD 291815Z AUTO 17008KT 10SM BKN042 OVC090 25/13
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29553
NTSB Notification Source FAA - Great Lakes ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 3 2012 4:25PM
User who most recently changed record foxt
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9002J
NTSB Number CEN11LA430
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-3027
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Jun 1 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Justin C. Hoff
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Barron
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54812
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Justin C. Hoff
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Barron
Operator State WI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 54812
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 S25
Departure City Watford City
Departure State ND
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KRPD
Destination City Rice Lake
Destination State WI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 19 2011 2:39PM
User who most recently changed record foxt
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --