Piper PA-28-140 N98117

Summary

On 7 May 2005 at about 21:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N98117, operated by Herschel B. Smith, was involved in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 May 2005 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Pierce, Florida, United States

Coordinates

27.4833, -80.2000

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N98117

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Herschel B. Smith

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marsh Harbour → Fort Pierce

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA05CA100

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation to ensure an adequate fuel supply was available for the intended flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After landing following an uneventful 1 hour 30 minute flight, the pilot reportedly visually checked the fuel tanks noting the fuel level in both was approximately 1/2 inch below the tab in each tank. The airplane was not flown following the inbound flight and the departure of the accident flight, nor was fuel purchased. The pilot noted during his preflight inspection the fuel level in both fuel tanks was the same level he observed following landing, and estimated that the flight departed with approximately 30 gallons of fuel on-board. After takeoff, the flight climbed to 8,500 feet where he noted the ground speed was 70-72 knots. After obtaining winds aloft, he elected to descend to 6,500 feet, and continued towards the destination. At a point in the flight when he was equal distance from the destination airport and an airport in the Bahamas, he elected to continue towards his destination. He descended to 3,500 feet when the flight was approximately 20 miles from the destination airport. The flight continued and when approximately 10 miles from the destination airport, the fuel supply in the right fuel tank was exhausted first, followed by the fuel supply in the left fuel tank. He ditched the airplane which nosed over after touchdown. The pilot did not perform fuel consumption calculations for either flight because he knew the historical fuel consumption.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.