Piper PA-28-180 accident near Barron, Wisconsin, June 29, 2011
On June 29, 2011 at about 6:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9002J, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Barron, Wisconsin (Rice Lake Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power, which resulted from fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2011 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Barron, Wisconsin · Rice Lake Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N9002J · registry record · serial 28-3027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 4.4 hours after departure on a cross-country flight, the airplane experienced a complete loss of engine power about 5 miles from the destination airport. The pilot was unable to restart the engine after switching fuel tanks, a forced landing was made to a nearby field, and the landing gear collapsed during the landing roll. The pilot stated that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion and was not the result of a mechanical malfunction of the engine.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (descent) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Inoperative
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,255 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 5, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S25 Watford City ND at 2:30 pm
- Destination: KRPD Rice Lake WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from KRPD, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.