Piper PA-28-161 accident near Lafayette, Indiana, April 23, 2002
On April 23, 2002 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N563PU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafayette, Indiana (Purdue Airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot's improper fuel management resulting in the total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot's failure to use the checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2002 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Indiana · Purdue Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N563PU · registry record · serial 2842105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane received sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a forced landing to a golf course 3 miles north of the destination airport. The student pilot reported she was flying a solo cross-country instructional flight. She departed at 1600 EST and had landed at another airport, but had not refueled. She departed and was en route to the destination airport. The pilot reported she was cleared to land on runway 23 and was number three for landing when the engine lost power. Her altitude was about 1,600 feet MSL and she preformed an emergency landing to a golf course. During the landing rollout, the airplane nosed over. The time of the accident was 1830 EST. The pilot reported, "If I were enabled to fly again, I would remember to switch my fuel tanks (as it says on the check lists). I would not rely on habit but on the lists which are given me for the purpose of not relying on habit." The inspection of the airplane revealed no fuel in the right tank and full fuel in the left tank. The fuel selector was found in the right tank position. The engine run was performed and the engine ran with no anomalies.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 48 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,186 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 17, 2002; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,440 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FWA Fort Wayne IN at 11:10 pm
- Destination: LAF Lafayette IN
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from LAF, 3 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.