Piper PA-28-180 accident near Monroe, Louisiana, February 27, 1998
On February 27, 1998 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7998W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monroe, 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
The pilot's improper decision to continue the flight after noting the low fuel quantity indication, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain 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
- February 27, 1998 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Monroe, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7998W · no longer on the register · serial 28-2050
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a cross-country flight of 4 hours and 24 minutes, the airplane was 8 nautical miles from its destination when the engine lost power. The pilot initially set up for a forced landing on a highway; however, due to traffic on the highway, he elected to land adjacent to the highway. During the landing, the airplane encountered a ditch, impacted a tree, and came to a stop. When the flight was 13 nautical miles from its destination, the pilot had asked air traffic control to check on the availability of fuel at an airport the airplane was passing over. The controller was unable to confirm the availability of fuel, and although the right fuel gage was 'indicating nearly empty,' the pilot decided to continue the flight. He stated that he 'thought' the airplane would be able to reach the destination without difficulty since he had exhausted the fuel in the left tank earlier in the flight and noted that the 'fuel gage registered empty for 20 minutes or so before the engine quit.' There was no leakage or spillage of fuel at the accident site, and the right tank was found to be empty.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,400 hours in all; 144 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 2,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,680 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1997; 53 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: DTS Destin FL at 2:36 pm
- Destination: MLU
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from MLU, 8 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.