Piper PA-28-180 accident near West Lafayette, Indiana, July 11, 2001
On July 11, 2001 at about 5:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N8955J, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Lafayette, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's alcohol impaired decision making. Additional factors were the trees and night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2001 · about 5:15 am local time
- Place
- West Lafayette, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8955J · no longer on the register · serial 28-2976
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted a field and trees during a forced landing after a loss of engine power. Witnesses reported the pilot departed on an unscheduled flight about 2115. The airplane was observed flying at least one full stop landing before doing a low approach, and then departing the pattern. A hand-held aviation Garmin GPS III was found in the "ON" position at the site of the accident. The recorded track data indicated the airplane flew north and flew over or near five airports. The track data indicated about 2 hours and 18 minutes elapsed during the portion of the flight recorded by the GPS. A witness near the accident site reported, "I observed what appeared to be an airplane flying in a north west direction at a low altitude. It appeared as the airplane was losing altitude. I lost sight of the airplane behind some trees at a distance. At that time I did not hear engine noise from an airplane. After several seconds passed I heard a loud crashing noise." Less than one gallon of fuel was found in the left and right fuel tanks. No fuel was found in the engine fuel lines, fuel pump, or carburetor bowl. The inspection of the airplane revealed no preexisting anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Emergency responders reported that a 750 ml bottle of vodka was found in the cockpit with about 1/4 of it gone. The toxicology report indicated that pilot's ethanol blood level was almost 5 times the legal limit for presumed intoxication in most states.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,320 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 2001; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MQJ Mount Comfort IN at 2:15 am
- Destination: Unknown
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 030° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 am from LAF, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.