Piper PA-25-235 accident near Hawkinsville, Georgia, July 15, 1991
On July 15, 1991 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N4800P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hawkinsville, Georgia. It was a business 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 PREFLIGHT PLANNING, HIS FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE WHEN HE OBSERVED HIS FUEL SUPPLY GETTING LOW, AND THE RESULTANT EXHAUSTION OF HIS FUEL SUPPLY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1991 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hawkinsville, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N4800P · registry record · serial 25-4580
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AG PILOT WAS ON THE RETURN LEG OF A SPARE PARTS RUN. HE HAD NOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, HE ESTIMATED THAT HE HAD ABOUT 22 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD; ENOUGH FOR THE 45 MILE FLIGHT. EN ROUTE, HE ENCOUNTERED DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY, AND DEVIATED HIS COURSE TO THE WEST. WHILE DEVIATING THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY, HE EXHAUSTED HIS FUEL SUPPLY. HE FORCE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A NEARBY PASTURE, BUT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE, RESULTING IN AIRFRAME DAMAGE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 330 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Tifton GA at 7:15 pm
- Destination: 48A Cochran GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from MCN, 25 miles away
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.