Piper PA-22-108 accident near Opelousas, Louisiana, May 3, 2008
On May 3, 2008, a Piper PA-22-108, registered N4515Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Opelousas, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of engine power due to starvation of the right fuel tank and the inability to select the left fuel tank. Contributing to airplane damage was the hidden obstruction in the field selected for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2008
- Place
- Opelousas, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108 · all PA-22-108s on the register
- Registration
- N4515Z · no longer on the register · serial 22-8017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was maneuvering around weather, destined for his home airport, when the engine lost power due to exhaustion of the right fuel tank. While attempting to change from the right tank to the left tank the fuel selector became impeded by a loose screw on the fuel placard. The pilot attempted to switch tanks several times before committing to a forced landing. The pilot successfully landed the airplane in a wheat field. During the landing roll out, the nose gear contacted a rut resulting in damage to the nose gear and subsequently allowed the airplane to nose over coming to rest in the inverted position.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Damaged/degraded
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Hidden/submerged object › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,387.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2008
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCB Mc Comb MS
- Destination: OPL Opelousas LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from LFT
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.
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.