Piper PA-34-200 accident near Hogansville, Georgia, January 2, 1999
On January 2, 1999 at about 9:18 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N5016T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hogansville, Georgia (Newnan-Coweta County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fuel exhaustion due to inadequate planning and the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane. Factors were the weather conditions and hilly terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1999 · about 9:18 pm local time
- Place
- Hogansville, Georgia · Newnan-Coweta County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N5016T · no longer on the register · serial 34-7250199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 30 miles from the destination airport, approach control informed the pilot of lowered cloud ceilings and thunderstorm activity over the airport. At approximately the same time the pilot reported a low fuel condition and was vectored towards a second airport. A missed approach was performed at the second airport, and the pilot was given vectors towards a third airport. While descending for the third airport, the pilot reported that 'the left engine ran out of fuel' and the engine had quit. The pilot attempted an emergency landing on a power line right-of-way. According to the Piper Aircraft PA-34 Information Manual, N5016T has a usable fuel capacity of 93 U.S. gallons and seven gallons unusable. The pilot reported that he departed with 100 gallons of fuel on board. While operating the airplane at a gross weight of 4000 pounds and 65% power, fuel consumption is 18.3 gallons per hour for both engines, and maximum flight duration of 5.08 hours. N5016T had flown 5.72 hours when the accident occurred.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,181 hours in all; 1,087 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 1,876 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,115 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 1998; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HEF Manassas VA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: CSG Columbus GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:42 pm from ATL, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.