Piper PA-28-151 accident near Port Columbus, Ohio, May 16, 2002
On May 16, 2002 at about 7:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N75303, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Columbus, Ohio (Rickenbacker International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exhaustion of his fuel supply. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2002 · about 7:15 am local time
- Place
- Port Columbus, Ohio · Rickenbacker International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N75303 · registry record · serial 28-7615286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
With a demonstrated fuel consumption rate of about 10 gallons per hour, the airplane departed on a return cross-country flight with a full 50-gallon fuel load, of which, 48 gallons was usable. The airplane encountered a headwind that averaged 36 knots, and the pilot changed altitude several times in search of more favorable wind. After 4.6 hours of flight, the engine stopped producing power. During the subsequent forced landing, the pilot declared to ATC that he had "run out of fuel." The airplane touched down on a highway where it nosed over. Examination of the airplane at the scene revealed no odor of fuel and no evidence of fuel spillage. The airplane was recovered, and a can of fuel was plumbed into the airplane's fuel system. The engine started immediately, and ran smoothly without interruption. The pilot did not update his weather briefing while the airplane was serviced, or at anytime during the return flight.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 103 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 6, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,427 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 2001; 152 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UCA Utica NY at 2:35 am
- Destination: LCK Columbus OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5L, 12,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 am from CMH, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.