Piper PA22 accident near Loveland, Ohio, July 18, 2020
On July 18, 2020 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA22, registered N4816A, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Loveland, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2020 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Loveland, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA22 150 · all PA22s on the register
- Registration
- N4816A · registry record · serial 22-3969
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before the pilot's departure on a cross-country flight, he added 7.5 gallons of fuel to each wing fuel tank. The pilot reported that before adding fuel, both fuel gauges read ¼ tank. About an hour and half after departure, the engine lost power, had a momentary gain of power, and then lost power again. The pilot selected a road for a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane impacted several mailboxes and a light pole before coming to stop in a residential yard Examination of the airplane found substantial damage to the left wing, damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator, and right-side engine cowling. The right-wing fuel tank was then drained and about 5.5 gallons of fuel was recovered, the left-wing fuel tank did not contain any useable fuel. The left fuel gauge read about ¼ and the right fuel gauge read zero. The examination did not confirm the accuracy of the gauges or if the wires were swapped from the left and right fuel tanks. Fuel was added to right wing fuel tank, and the engine started. The engine was operated from idle, to a high power setting, with no abnormalities noted. The pilot reported on the NTSB Form 6120.1, that he thought the reason for the engine failure was due to fuel exhaustion. With fuel remaining in the right-wing fuel tank, the loss of engine power is consistent with 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 defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel indication system › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 528 hours in all; 168 in this make and model; 383 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 30, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 2020
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3G3 Wadsworth OH at 6:50 pm
- Destination: KLUK Lunken OH
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KLUK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2020. 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, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Interview Notes | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Mechanic Report | PDF, 1 page | 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.