Piper PA-28-180 accident near Erie, PA
On August 14, 2005, a Piper PA-28-180 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Erie, PA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 14, 2005
- Place
- Erie, PA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 42.082°N, 80.176°W
- NTSB ID
- 20050816X01257
NTSB summary
On August 13, 2005, at 2114 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N7534W, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following a total loss of engine power while on approach to Erie International Airport (ERI), Erie, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured, while one passenger was seriously injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Jamestown Airport (JHW), Jamestown, New York. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane was based at a private airstrip in Smyrna, Delaware. During the evening prior to the accident flight, the pilot obtained a weather briefing for the following day from a flight service station. He also fueled the airplane at Delaware Airpark (33N), Cheswold, Delaware. On the day of the accident, the pilot and his wife flew from Smyrna, Delaware, to Delaware Airpark, and boarded two additional passengers. They then flew to Randolph Airport (D85), Randolph, New York. The pilot and his wife dropped off the two passengers, and continued to Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG), Niagara, New York. The pilot refused a fuel purchase in Niagara, and commented to a fixed based operator employee about the high price of fuel. He and his wife then flew back to Randolph, New York, and picked up the two passengers, with the intention of refueling, and ultimately returning to Delaware. Fuel services were not available in Randolph, and the pilot then flew to Jamestown Airport (JHW), Jamestown, New York, to purchase fuel.
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion on approach, and subsequent loss of engine power.
More accidents in PA
- Boeing B-737-300, Sep 8, 1994
- Boeing 757, Sep 11, 2001
- British Aerospace J-3101, May 21, 2000
- Bell UH-1N, May 29, 2008
- Beech A36, Jul 30, 1989
Browse: Pennsylvania · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
