Piper PA-28-181 accident near Clay City, Kentucky, July 9, 1992
On July 9, 1992 at about 3:14 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N2857D, was destroyed in an accident near Clay City, Kentucky. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. DARKNESS AND TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1992 · about 3:14 am local time
- Place
- Clay City, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N2857D · no longer on the register · serial 28-7990500
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS REFUELED TO CAPACITY OF 50 GALLONS BEFORE DEPARTURE. HE STATED HE WAS 4.2 HOURS INTO THE FLIGHT, DESCENDING FROM 8000 TO 4000 FEET MSL, WHEN THE ENGINE SPUTTERED SEVERAL TIMES, THEN LOST POWER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL GAGES INDICATED 4 AND ABOUT 7 TO 8 GALLONS, RESPECTIVELY, WHEN THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SET TO THE LEFT TANK. ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE POWER, INCLUDING SWITCHING FUEL TANKS, WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE EXAMINATION REVEALED THE CARBURETOR INLET FUEL LINE WAS EMPTY. THE LEFT WING SEPARATED DURING THE CRASH IMPACT SEQUENCE, CAME TO REST IN A TREE, AND WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR EXAMINATION. THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK WAS UNDETERMINED. PERFORMANCE CHARTS INDICATED THAT WITH THE PILOT'S REPORTED POWER SETTINGS, THE FUEL FLOW SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 8.4 GALLONS PER HOUR.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 608 hours in all; 156 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 558 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,438 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 1991; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lexington Flying Club, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PHF Newport News VA at 11:04 pm
- Destination: LEX Lexington KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from LEX, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.