Piper PA-28-161 accident near Kennesaw, Georgia, December 27, 2001
On December 27, 2001 at about 2:52 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N3035L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kennesaw, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion,which resulted in a forced landing, and subsequent in-flight collision with transmission wires.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2001 · about 2:52 am local time
- Place
- Kennesaw, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N3035L · no longer on the register · serial 28-7916244
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While enroute he elected to continue his flight based on fuel calculations from the previous days flight to his intended destination. A short time later he exhausted the fuel in his right main fuel tank, and he estimated he had 25 minutes of fuel remaining. His GPS indicated he was 10 minutes from another local area airport. He elected to proceed direct to the airport when the engine experienced a total loss of power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot made a forced landing and collided with transmission wires and became entangled with the wires above the ground. The pilot stated the airplane did not experience any form of mechanical problem. He simply ran out of gas.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 160 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 122 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BKL Cleveland OH at 9:48 pm
- Destination: RYY Marietta GA
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from PDK, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.