Piper 28 accident near Andulusia, Alabama, September 10, 2005
On September 10, 2005 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper 28, registered N8153N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Andulusia, Alabama (Andalusia-Opp Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate planning of the fuel supply, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2005 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Andulusia, Alabama · Andalusia-Opp Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper 28
- Registration
- N8153N · registry record · serial 28-25347
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot visually checked the fuel levels of the airplane before departing on the cross country flight. About an hour into the flight and at an altitude of 4,500 the engine began to run rough. At this time the pilot applied full mixture and switched the fuel selector to the right tank and the engine recovered. The pilot alerted Cairns Approach Control of the engine problem and of the his intentions to divert to Andalusia. Minutes later the engine failed again; and the pilot's attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. He elected to make a forced landing in a plowed field. During the landing the airplane collided with a furrow. Post-accident examination revealed the nose gear detached and the firewall bent aft. Fuel was not present in either fuel tank, and the carburetor contained no fuel. The fuel tanks had not been breached.
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: airline transport pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming 52617275 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ams Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: Andulusia AL
- Destination: DE25 Milton FL
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.