Piper PA-24-250 accident near Pittsview, Alabama, January 9, 2001
On January 9, 2001 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5887P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pittsview, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to conduct proper preflight planning, resulting in loss of engine power while in cruise flight due to fuel exhaustion, and the subsequent emergency descent and landing to an open field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 2001 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pittsview, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5887P · no longer on the register · serial 24-972
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he had flown the same trip as the accident flight five times previously, except for three differences; (1) on this particular flight, the refuelers did not top off the fuel tanks as requested, (2) following departure, the flight had to return to the departure airport due to inadvertently leaving the right wing fueling door open, and (3) the flight encountered unanticipated strength of head winds. Nine minutes short of destination, the engine stopped operating, and the pilot conducted an emergency landing to a vacant field. The pilot was not injured, a passenger sustained minor injuries, and the aircraft recieved substantial damage. Postcrash examination of the aircraft and it's components revealed no mechanical malfunctions, and the fuel tanks contained no fuel. Postcrash, the pilot stated to the FAA that, "I ran out of gas."
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: 260 hours in all; 193 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2000; 190 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAL Lakeland FL at 4:50 pm
- Destination: AUO Auburn AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 pm from LSF, 22 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.