Piper PA-28-180 accident near Columbia, Missouri, April 15, 2004
On April 15, 2004 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N40RT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, Missouri. 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 pilot inadvertently became lost and over flew his destination in cruise flight and selected an unsuitable landing area for his precautionary landing. Factors were the rough/uneven terrain, the barbed wire fence, and the fence post encountered during the precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 2004 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Columbia, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N40RT · no longer on the register · serial 28-4175
- 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 on impact with terrain during a precautionary landing. The pilot reported that he checked weather, filed a flight plan, performed a preflight, and verified that both tanks were full. The pilot stated that the first fuel tank switch was completed 12 minutes after departure and the remaining tank switches were completed on 15 to 17 minute balanced intervals. The pilot stated that he over flew his destination and turned around toward a known city. The pilot stated, "The left tank ran out of fuel, and, I reacted automatically & immediately turned on the electric fuel pump then switched from the left to the right tank - the engine fired up right away. I thought about issuing a May-Day call, but, decided not to because [Air Traffic Control] lost radar contact with me at 4000ft, and, I was at 3500. I did not want to waste fuel climbing or waste time to set up radios and communicate -started thinking about my aviate, navigate, communicate priorities. I had the radial to track back to a known airport location, Hannibal, but, I began to doubt if I had the fuel to get there. This logic hinged on the fact that I had been religious about keeping the tanks balanced. If I had emptied the left, regardless of why it emptied prematurely, the right tank should be no more than 15 minutes behind it. Figured Hannibal was at least 15 minutes out with Monroe City closer, but, neither in view. To greatly compound matters, the sun was well on its way to setting. Guessed I might have no more than 5 or 10 minutes of light left. Scanned around again for an airport - none found. Started looking for a place to make an emergency landing. ... Decided to go with my 1st choice pasture/hay field with known surface. Next, thought I heard a burp from the engine as the field approached. This made it easier to commit to the precautionary landing. ... The field was not long enough, though. I rolled into scrub brush and a barbed wire fence with metal fence posts." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions associated with the airplane in reference to the flight.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 628 hours in all; 436 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 547 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 11, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,888 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 2003; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TEW Mason MI at 9:05 pm
- Destination: K52 Monroe City MO
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
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.