Piper PA 31-350 accident near Covington, Louisiana, April 23, 2017
On April 23, 2017 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1979 Piper PA 31-350, registered N3548J, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Covington, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of power to both engines due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2017 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 31-350, built 1979 · all PA 31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N3548J · registry record · serial 31-8052027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot departed with full fuel tanks for a multileg, cross-country flight. The pilot estimated that his total flight time for the first two legs of the trip was 4 hours 15 minutes, and he landed at two different airports but did not obtain fuel. About 25 to 30 minutes into the last leg of the flight, the left engine lost power. Shortly thereafter, the right engine lost power. The pilot conducted a forced landing to a field, during which the outboard portion of the left wing and aileron hit a tree and separated from the airplane. About 1 to 2 quarts of fuel were recovered from the entire fuel system. An examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that both engines lost total power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's improper fuel planning.
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 exhaustion during enroute defining event
- Fuel exhaustion during emergency descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,263 hours in all; 739.5 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 652.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 27, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,413.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 25, 2016
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Textron Lycoming TIO-540 J2BD (piston); 522 hours total
- Engine 2: Textron Lycoming LTIO-540 J2BD (piston); 483 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0R4 Vidalia LA at 9:45 pm
- Destination: KASD Slidell LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,600 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from KHDC, 23 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
5 documents, released by the NTSB on May 30, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Conversation - Recovery Team | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Pa 31-350 Pilot Operating Handbook Excerpts | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.