Piper PA-28-180 accident near Lawrenceville, Georgia, June 6, 1996
On June 6, 1996 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N8818J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrenceville, Georgia. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate fuel consumption calculations that resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor was the pilot's failure to follow the emergency procedure for a forced landing, in that the flaps were not extended.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 1996 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrenceville, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8818J · no longer on the register · serial 28-2772
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot filed and activated an IFR flight plan. After about 3.2 hours of flight, while descending for a landing approach, the engine lost power. During a subsequent forced landing, the airplane hit an embankment and was damaged. Examination of the airplane revealed two gallons of fuel in the right wing. The left wing fuel line was separated at the wing root with no evidence of fuel spillage at the accident site, and the fuel selector was found in the left wing fuel tank position. The mixture was found in the rich position, the magneto switch was on 'both,' and the flaps were found retracted. The engine manual indicated that at 2,400 rpm, full throttle, and mixture rich, the engine would consume 15 gallons per hour. With that rate of fuel consumption, the engine would have consumed 48 gallons of fuel during the 3.2 hour flight. The airplane's usable fuel capacity was 48 gallons.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 582 hours in all; 520 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 552 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUA Stuart FL at 3:16 pm
- Destination: LZU
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:13 pm from ATL, 28 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.