Piper PA-30 accident near Newphiladelphia, Ohio, June 16, 2003
On June 16, 2003 at about 7:42 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N8162Y, was destroyed in an accident near Newphiladelphia, Ohio (Harry Clever Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel, and his failure to maintain minimum controllable airspeed with one engine inoperative.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2003 · about 7:42 pm local time
- Place
- Newphiladelphia, Ohio · Harry Clever Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N8162Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-1275
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on a long cross country flight, the left engine shut down in-flight and had to be restarted. The pilot then landed and refueled the airplane. While the airplane was being refueled, he asked the lineman if the left outboard tank was empty, and the fueler confirmed that it was. The pilot also stated that he thought that he had run the tank dry, and that the engine was burning more fuel than anticipated. He purchased 55 gallons of fuel and departed. About 2 hours later, while maneuvering near New Philadelphia, Ohio, a review of the last 4 minutes of recorded GPS data revealed the airplane had decelerated from 110 miles per hour (mph) to 84.9 mph, and descended from 1,699 feet to 923 feet, before the data ended. Witnesses heard the airplane having engine trouble, and observed the airplane make a left turn, then roll upside down, before it hit the ground. Examination of each of the four fuel-bladder tanks revealed that the left outboard tank was intact and empty, and the left inboard tank was empty, but breached at the engine nacelle. The right inboard tank was intact and about 1/4-full of fuel. The right outboard tank was intact, and a small amount of fuel was in the tank, but fuel was observed draining from the tank at the accident site. The fuel selector handles were set to the outboard tanks. According to the Piper Comanche Owner's Manual, "Vmc is the calibrated airspeed, determined by FAA test pilots, below which a twin engine aircraft cannot be controlled in flight with one engine operating at take-off power and the other engine wind milling." The Vmc, which the FAA had determined for this airplane, was 90 mph.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 956 hours in all; 159 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,009 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 2002; 36.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CFJ Crawfordsville IN at 5:35 pm
- Destination: PHD New Philadelphi OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PHD, 1 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.