Piper PA-25-235 accident near Farmville, North Carolina, August 9, 1996
On August 9, 1996 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N82313, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmville, North Carolina. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate fuel consumption calculations which resulted in loss of engine power do to fuel exhaustion and a hard landing during a forced landing in a field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1996 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Farmville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N82313 · no longer on the register · serial 25-7656074
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The owner of the aircraft stated the aircraft normally consumes 19 gallons of fuel per hour in aerial application operations and that the aircraft holds 38 gallons, or 2 hours, of usable fuel when full. The pilot stated he topped off the fuel tanks prior to departure and after flying for 1 hour 52 minutes he started back to the strip. He thought he had about 25 minutes of fuel remaining. After 8 minutes, or 2 hours since his last refueling, the engine quit do to fuel exhaustion. While making a forced landing in a field the aircraft landed hard on the right wing. Post crash examination of the aircraft showed the aircraft contained no usable fuel and there was no evidence of inflight fuel leakage from the fuel strainer or fuel tanks. Other pilots that had flown the aircraft did not report any excessive use of fuel by this aircraft.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,447 hours in all; 191 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 97 in the last 30 days; 1,407 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,668 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1996; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W38 at 5:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from PGV, 11 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.