Piper PA24 accident near Crewe, Virginia, September 29, 2018
On September 29, 2018 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 1959 Piper PA24, registered N6148P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Crewe, Virginia (Crewe Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2018 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Crewe, Virginia · Crewe Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA24 250, built 1959 · all PA24s on the register
- Registration
- N6148P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1249
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, after a cross-country flight, he wanted to fuel the airplane at the airport, but the fuel tanks were locked. He then flew to a nearby airport to fuel the airplane, but once over the airport, he was told via the UNICOM frequency that the airport was closed for construction and that he would not be able to land. He returned to the departure airport, and as he reduced power and performed his "gump" check, the engine lost total power. He switched from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank, turned the fuel pump on, and pumped the throttle to no avail. He continued downwind and abeam the runway numbers and added flaps. On base, he felt the airplane was low and decided to head straight for the runway. Near the beginning of the runway, the airplane aerodynamically stalled and landed hard. The airplane slid about 300 ft and came to rest in the grass adjacent the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that he verified that the left fuel tank was completely empty. He also removed the drain plug from the carburetor, which was also empty. Additionally, the insurance adjuster reported that he looked into the fuel tanks with a scope and saw that the left fuel tank was "bone dry" and that the right tank had about 12 gallons of fuel.
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
- Fuel starvation during approach
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing defining event
- Hard landing during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- factor Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 448 hours in all; 157 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 2, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W81 Crewe VA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: W81 Crewe VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from KBKT, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on December 17, 2018. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Conversation - FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Record of Conversation - Insurance Adjuster | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.