Piper PA-28R-200 accident near East Hannibal, Illinois, May 3, 1998
On May 3, 1998 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N75306, was substantially damaged in an accident near East Hannibal, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, and his improper in-flight planning/decision. A factor was fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 1998 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- East Hannibal, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N75306 · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7635290
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot indicated that he believed that the flight would be in VMC conditions for most of the flight; however, he said that for most of the flight he encountered IMC conditions. He was held prior to his initial approach for 20 minutes. On the initial approach he missed and returned to the VOR. At this point he realized that he needed to find an alternate airport and while searching for one exhausted all usable fuel. A forced landing was made to a field where on landing the airplane sustained substantial damage. Subsequent to the accident, no usable fuel remained in the fuel tanks. No mechanical anomalies were discovered. There was no evidence of fuel leaks, stains, and the fuel caps were intact and serviceable.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 320 hours in all; 99 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,768 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 11, 1997; 135 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,678 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K20 Hazard KY at 2:40 pm
- Destination: UIN Quincy IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from UIN, 16 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.