Piper PA-28-181 accident near Iola, Kansas, October 22, 2023
On October 22, 2023, a 1976 Piper PA-28-181, registered N5324F, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Iola, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power 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
- October 22, 2023
- Place
- Iola, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181, built 1976 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N5324F · no longer on the register · serial 28-7790088
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had 48 gallons of fuel on board and assumed that he would be able to fly for about 5 hours. After about 4 hours and 20 minutes of flying, the pilot began his descent for landing at his destination, turned the fuel pump on, and checked the fuel gauges. The gauges read about 3 or 4 gallons of fuel remaining in each fuel tank. Shortly thereafter, the engine quit. The pilot switched fuel tanks and the engine started again momentarily and then quit again. He landed the airplane on a gravel road about 1.5 miles northeast of the airport. After touchdown, the right wing struck a tree and separated from the fuselage resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that he believes the airplane ran out fuel, which resulted in the loss of engine power.
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 (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine sea
- Flight time: 217 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 181 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 23, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,969 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 25, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 6,345 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MDW Chicago IL at 8:16 pm
- Destination: K88 Iola IL
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Observation at 7:35 pm from K88, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K88 220035Z AUTO 02004KT 10SM CLR 20/03 A2994
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 February 29, 2024. 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 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 3 | POH Excerpt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record - Email, Pilot | 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.