Piper PA-28-140 accident near Fort Pierce, Florida, May 7, 2005
On May 7, 2005 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N98117, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Pierce, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation to ensure an adequate fuel supply was available for the intended flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 2005 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N98117 · no longer on the register · serial 28-26053
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing following an uneventful 1 hour 30 minute flight, the pilot reportedly visually checked the fuel tanks noting the fuel level in both was approximately 1/2 inch below the tab in each tank. The airplane was not flown following the inbound flight and the departure of the accident flight, nor was fuel purchased. The pilot noted during his preflight inspection the fuel level in both fuel tanks was the same level he observed following landing, and estimated that the flight departed with approximately 30 gallons of fuel on-board. After takeoff, the flight climbed to 8,500 feet where he noted the ground speed was 70-72 knots. After obtaining winds aloft, he elected to descend to 6,500 feet, and continued towards the destination. At a point in the flight when he was equal distance from the destination airport and an airport in the Bahamas, he elected to continue towards his destination. He descended to 3,500 feet when the flight was approximately 20 miles from the destination airport. The flight continued and when approximately 10 miles from the destination airport, the fuel supply in the right fuel tank was exhausted first, followed by the fuel supply in the left fuel tank. He ditched the airplane which nosed over after touchdown. The pilot did not perform fuel consumption calculations for either flight because he knew the historical fuel consumption.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 245 hours in all; 119 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYAM Marsh Harbour
- Destination: KFPR Fort Pierce FL
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N98117 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.