Piper PA28 accident near Brooksville, Florida, October 25, 2009
On October 25, 2009 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Piper PA28, registered N7220W, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Brooksville, Florida (Pilot Country Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 25, 2009 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Brooksville, Florida · Pilot Country Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 180 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N7220W · no longer on the register · serial 28-I035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was 10 minutes into the flight and had just reached a cruise altitude of 2,800 feet above mean sea level when the engine lost power. After unsuccessfully attempting to restart the engine, the pilot attempted a forced landing at an airport off to his left. Approaching the airport, the airplane’s right wing hit a tree and the airplane impacted the ground 400 yards short of the runway. The airplane sustained damage to the wing, fuselage, and propeller. The responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector observed 1/4 gallon of fuel in the right wing fuel tank and no fuel in the left wing tank. There was no evidence of fuel leakage in flight or at the accident site. The wreckage recovery crew reported that they were able to drain 3 quarts of fuel from the airplane. A postaccident engine run was conducted with the engine producing power at high and low rpm settings.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 868 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 741 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 16, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,913 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 2009; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FA40 New Port Richey FL at 5:55 pm
- Destination: ZPH Zephyrhills FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KBKV, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.