Piper PA-28-161 accident near Lafayette, Indiana, July 24, 1991
On July 24, 1991 at about 3:50 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N525PU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafayette, Indiana. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND REFUELING NOT PERFORMED BY THE CFI/PIC.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1991 · about 3:50 am local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N525PU · registry record · serial 2841190
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI PILOT SAID THAT WHILE PERFORMING NIGHT TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS, THEY HAD A LOSS OF POWER. THE FORCED LANDING RESULTED IN A LANDING IN THE TREE TOPS. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT HAD FLOWN ABOUT 5.7 HOURS SINCE REFUELING AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,284 hours in all; 691 in this make and model; 134 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 1,073 as pilot in command; 544 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Purdue University
The flight
- Departed from: LAF Lafayette IN at 2:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:30 am from LAF, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.