Piper PA 28-181 N31688

Summary

On 30 September 2013 at about 01:50 local time, a Piper PA 28-181 registered N31688 was involved in an accident near Algona, Iowa, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 September 2013 at 01:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Algona, Iowa, United States

Nearest airport

Algona Municipal (KAXA)

Coordinates

43.0753, -94.2681

Aircraft

Piper PA 28-181

Registration

N31688

Category

Airplane

Year built

1978

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Estherville → Estherville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN13LA570

Nobody was injured.

Fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to ensure he had sufficient fuel on board to complete the planned flight. Contributing to the accident was the incomplete information provided by the airport's AWOS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot took off with 34 gallons of fuel onboard and flew to another airport to pick up his flight instructor for a flight review. He and his flight instructor then flew for about an hour and decided to divert to another en route airport to obtain fuel. While en route, they listened to the automated weather observation system (AWOS) for the airport, which provided the weather conditions but no notices to airmen (NOTAMs). The engine sputtered when they were about 1 mile from the airport. The pilot switched fuel tanks and engine power was regained. They circled the airport 3 times while trying to turn on the pilot-controlled runway lights. On the fourth pass, the engine lost power. The pilot made a hard landing short of the approach end of runway 12. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that no useable fuel remained in the fuel tanks. The airport was temporarily closed due to runway construction. The airport management had issued a NOTAM, crossed out the runway numbers, shut the airport beacon light off, and deactivated the pilot-controlled runway lights. The airport manager stated that they put the runway closure information on the AWOS but it kept dropping off.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.