Piper PA-28-180 accident near Inverness, Mississippi, November 18, 1990
On November 18, 1990 at about 8:39 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4820L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Inverness, Mississippi. It was an instructional 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 STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS WERE: UEL EXHAUSTION, THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL AERONAUTICAL EXPERIENCE, AND SOFT TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 1990 · about 8:39 pm local time
- Place
- Inverness, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4820L · registry record · serial 28-4160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO DEPARTURE ON A THREE LEG X-COUNTRY FLT, THE FUEL TANKS CONTAINED ABOUT 36 GALS. THE FLT DEPARTED & A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING WAS PERFORMED AT THE FIRST ARPT & A FULL STOP LANDING WAS PERFORMED AT THE SECOND. THE FLT TIME WAS 2 HRS 10 MIN. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR THE RETURN FLT, THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED THAT THE LT & RT FUEL TANKS CONTAINED 5 & 10 GALS RESPECTIVELY. THE STUDENT'S CFI STATED THAT HE ADVISED THE STUDENT TO PURCHASE FUEL FOR THE RETURN FLT, BUT THE STUDENT DID NOT. THE FLT DEPARTED & ABOUT 30 MIN INTO THE FLT DURING NORMAL CRUISE AT 4,500FT, THE ENG QUIT. HE RESTARTED THE ENG BUT IT QUIT AGAIN DURING A CLIMB. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENG AGAIN. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. THERE WAS NO FUEL LEAKAGE.
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: student
- Flight time: 34 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HKS Jackson MS at 8:00 pm
- Destination: IDL Indianaola MS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:47 pm from GLH, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.