Piper PA-28-180 accident near Hammond, Louisiana, December 6, 2004
On December 6, 2004 at about 3:40 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4750L, was destroyed in an accident near Hammond, Louisiana (Hammond Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the pilot's in-flight mismanagement of the available fuel supply by his failure to switch fuel tank position, which resulted in fuel starvation. Factors were the low ceilings and the prevailing dark night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 2004 · about 3:40 am local time
- Place
- Hammond, Louisiana · Hammond Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4750L · registry record · serial 28-4079
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 87-hour non-instrument rated private pilot departed on the return portion of a 58.7 nautical mile cross country flight at night in marginal VFR weather conditions, which included five miles visibility in mist and an overcast ceiling at 500 feet. As the pilot approached his destination airport, a witness who was an automobile mechanic, heard the airplane flying low overhead from south to north. Although he could not see the airplane, he said that it was flying "low" and that the engine sounded "good." Shortly after the airplane flew over his house, the engine started to "miss out" as if it was "starving for fuel." Examination of the airplane revealed that the cockpit, forward fuselage, and the inboard section of the left wing, including the fuel tank were consumed by post-impact fire. However, the right wing, including the fuel tank were undamaged. The fuel selector was found set to the right fuel tank position. No mechanical deficiencies were noted with the airplane or the engine that could have prevented normal operations.
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: 78 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HUM Houma LA at 3:00 am
- Destination: HDC Hammond LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:39 am from HDC, 2 miles away
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.