Piper PA-28-180 N4873T

Summary

On 7 August 1988 at about 21:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N4873T, operated by Richard Doellein, was involved in an accident near Racine, West Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

7 August 1988 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Racine, West Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Yeager (CRW)

Coordinates

38.1607, -81.6505

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N4873T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Richard Doellein

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Arlington → Charleston

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO88LA073

1 person had minor injuries.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS ON THE FIRST LEG OF A FERRY FLIGHT TO WEST GERMANY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 30 MILES FROM CHARLESTON WHEN THE PILOT NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED ABOUT 5 & 11 GALS RESPECTIVELY REMAINING IN THE LEFT & RIGHT FUEL TANKS. HE PROCEEDED TO CHARLESTON, WHILE SWITCHING TANK POSITIONS, BEFORE FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED ABOUT 15 MILES FROM CHARLESTON. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD WITH THE RIGHT WING STRIKING A POWER LINE DURING THE LANDING APPROACH. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN EXTRA FUEL TANK WITH A 28 GAL CAPACITY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AIRBORNE ABOUT EIGHT HOURS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.