Piper PA-28-140 accident near Clyde, Ohio, May 6, 2023
On May 6, 2023 at about 5:07 pm local time, a 1971 Piper PA-28-140, registered N678FL, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Clyde, Ohio (Sandusky County Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 2023 · about 5:07 pm local time
- Place
- Clyde, Ohio · Sandusky County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140, built 1971 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N678FL · no longer on the register · serial 28-7125608
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing a touch-and-go landing at an airport near his home base. During the initial climb after an uneventful landing, the engine lost all power. He was unable to return to the airport, so he performed a forced landing in a nearby farm field. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the airframe was substantially damaged. The postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing was severed during the forced landing and the right wing fuel tank was compromised; however, 7 gallons of fuel were recovered from it. The left wing was intact and undamaged. About 1 quart of fuel was recovered from the left tank, and the cockpit fuel selector handle was found in the left tank position. Subsequent examination of the engine and fuel system revealed no evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure. Fuel records indicated that the airplane was operated about 4 hours since the previous refueling. The pilot would later state that he did not know why the engine lost power but that it may have been the result of a failure to switch fuel tanks. Based on this information, it is likely that the pilots inadequate fuel management resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 320 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 11, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,617 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 2023; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 14G Fremont OH at 3:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from KPCW, 16 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPCW 061655Z AUTO 05010KT 10SM CLR 17/11 A3021 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on June 5, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Excerpt - Pilot Logbook | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Excerpts - Maintenance Logbooks | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.