Piper PA-28-181 accident near Sarasota, Florida, December 21, 1994
On December 21, 1994 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N82895, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sarasota, Florida. It was a personal 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
IN FLIGHT PLANNING DECISION DELAY BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND IN THAT HE FAILED TO DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT BEFORE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 1994 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N82895 · no longer on the register · serial 28-8390006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FUEL SERVICING WAS NOT OBTAINED BEFORE DEPARTURE. DURING THE FLIGHT THE PILOT ELECTED TO DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT TO OBTAIN FUEL BUT WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND, THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. AFTER LANDING ON A ROAD, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A ROAD SIGN.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 835 hours in all; 91 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 693 as pilot in command; 446 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,797 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 29, 1994; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EYW Key West FL at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:23 pm from SRQ, 5 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.