Piper 28-140 accident near Republic, Missouri, December 31, 2015
On December 31, 2015 at about 3:55 am local time, a 1966 Piper 28-140, registered N4643R, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Republic, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 31, 2015 · about 3:55 am local time
- Place
- Republic, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper 28-140, built 1966
- Registration
- N4643R · no longer on the register · serial 28-21397
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot and a passenger were conducting a night cross-country flight. About 15 miles from the destination, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was only able to obtain momentary engine power each time he pumped the throttle. The pilot then performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane struck a tree and fence. A first responder to the accident stated that there was a smell of fuel and the ground was wet at the accident site. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the left wing fuel tank was breached and contained no fuel. The right wing fuel tank was intact. The right tank contained no usable fuel, and the fuel selector was selected to the right tank. The examination revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation. It is likely that the pilot exhausted the fuel supply in the right tank and did not reposition the fuel selector to the left tank; thus, the engine experienced a loss of power due to fuel starvation.
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
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Not specified
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Emergency equipment › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 140 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 140 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 19, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,455 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2-A (piston); 2,493 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1H0 Creve Coeur MO at 2:30 am
- Destination: 2H2 Aurora MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,700 ft; clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from SGF, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4643R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.