Piper PA-38-112 accident near Athens, Ohio, August 27, 2002
On August 27, 2002 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N4307E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Athens, Ohio (Fairfield County Airport). 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 improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation during cruise flight. A factor was the operator's failure to perform maintenance on a fuel gauge that was noted twice in a discrepancy log.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2002 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Ohio · Fairfield County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N4307E · no longer on the register · serial 3878A0543
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the return leg of the student pilot's cross-country flight, the engine lost all power, and the student pilot performed a forced landing to trees. Examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed that the left fuel tank was full, but the right fuel tank contained about 1 gallon of fuel. Prior to the student renting the airplane, it was completely fueled, then flown 1.1 hours. A flight instructor met with the student pilot prior to her flight, and told her to fly out on the right tank, and fly back on the left. However, the student pilot thought she had 12 gallons of fuel in the right tank, and flew the entire cross-country flight with the fuel selector positioned to the right tank. After the power loss, the student pilot did not switch fuel tanks. The right fuel tank had indicated mid-range, and she believed that sufficient fuel remained in the right tank. Review of a discrepancies form revealed that during the 2 months prior to the accident, the right fuel tank gauge was entered twice, but the operator took no corrective action.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 54 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 54 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,379 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 18, 2002; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fairfield County Airport Authority
The flight
- Departed from: PKB Parkersburg WV at 3:52 pm
- Destination: LHQ Lancaster OH
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from PKB, 20 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.