Amateur-built P & W 1937 accident near Lafayette, Louisiana, April 25, 1998
On April 25, 1998 at about 1:02 pm local time, a amateur-built P & W 1937, registered N546R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafayette, Louisiana (Lafayette 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1998 · about 1:02 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Louisiana · Lafayette Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built P & W 1937
- Registration
- N546R · registry record · serial JRY03
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion while on final approach to runway 22L. The pilot reported to the tower controller that the airplane was 'out of fuel.' The airplane landed 150 yards short of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted trees, a 'small' ditch, and came to rest inverted. No usable fuel was observed in either of the aircraft's two fuel tanks. No discrepancies were found that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane.
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 during approach - vfr pattern - final approach
- FORCED LANDING during approach - vfr pattern - final approach
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during emergency descent/landing
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: LFT at 12:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22L, 7,651 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°C, dew point 55°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
- Observation at 1:24 pm from LFT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW98LA193.