Piper PA-12 accident near Rio Grande, New Jersey, July 26, 2008
On July 26, 2008 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N4361M, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Rio Grande, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel management.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2008 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rio Grande, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N4361M · registry record · serial 12-3298
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About four hours into the banner-towing flight the engine started to sputter and lost lower. The pilot reported that his inflight fuel burn calculations were based on fuel burn data gathered during the previous month. Using these data, the pilot thought he had about 15-20 minutes of fuel remaining when the engine lost power. The pilot made a forced landing near a residential area and the airplane struck a fence, resulting in substantial damage. A Federal Aviation inspector looked at the fuel tanks at the accident site and found they were empty. The pilot stated that "in order to reduce my total flight time and land with required fuel minimums, I should have turned inland at an earlier point."
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 maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Performance calculations › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 499 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 186 in the last 90 days; 124 in the last 30 days; 406 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 18, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Paramount Air Service INC
The flight
- Destination: N12 Lakewood NJ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 9:40 pm from KWWD, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N4361M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.