Piper PA-28-140 accident near Cheboygan, Michigan, October 2, 1993
On October 2, 1993 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5695U, was destroyed in an accident near Cheboygan, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AND INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING, AND TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 1993 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Cheboygan, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5695U · no longer on the register · serial 28-26493
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WITH APRROXIMATLY 21 TO 27 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD TO A DESTINATION, WHICH HAD NO REFUELING FACILITY. HE INTENDED TO STOP FOR FUEL ON THE RETURN FLIGHT ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIRPORT, WHERE HE INTENDED TO STOP, WAS GOING TO BE CLOSED. KNOWING THIS, HE FLEW TO THE REFUELING AIRPORT ON THAT SAME DAY. AFTER ARRIVAL, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO 80/87 OCTANE FUEL AT THAT AIRPORT, BUT THAT FUEL COULD BE OBTAINED AT A THIRD AIRPORT, WHICH WAS ABOUT 10 MINUTES AWAY. DURING FLIGHT TO THE THIRD AIRPORT, A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A WOODED AREA, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. A POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS.
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: 219 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 173 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 83D St Ignance MI at 6:10 pm
- Destination: Y15 MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 14 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from PLN, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.