Piper PA-18A-150 accident near Griffin, Georgia, June 8, 2005
On June 8, 2005 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-18A-150, registered N8680D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Griffin, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply which resulted in fuel starvation. A contributing factor was the pilot's inadequate preflight preparation which failed to verify the fuel amount.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2005 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Griffin, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A-150 · all PA-18A-150s on the register
- Registration
- N8680D · no longer on the register · serial 18-6284
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the preflight inspection of the airplane, the pilots believed that the left tank was full and the right tank showed one-half full as seen through the wing tank sight gauges. The cockpit fuel selector was positioned on the left fuel tank. After taxiing to the departure runway, the pilots completed an engine run-up and magneto check, and departed to the north. As the flight climbed to approximately 200 feet, the engine lost power and quit. When the pilot turned back to the runway, the right wing collided with a tree, and subsequently the ground. During the post-accident examination of the airplane, approximately two quarts of fuel were recovered from the left fuel tank and about 7 gallons of fuel were recovered from the right fuel tank. Examination of the cockpit found the fuel selector on the left fuel tank. During the functional check of the engine, the engine started and functioned without difficulty and idled for several minutes without any discrepancies noted.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,725 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,617 as pilot in command; 428 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,319 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GA2 Griffin GA at 7:10 pm
- Destination: GA2 Griffin GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,300 ft; clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from ATL
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.
Other NTSB records under N8680D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.