Piper PA-28-160 accident near Richmond Hill, Georgia, April 30, 2008
On April 30, 2008 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-160, registered N5426W, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Richmond Hill, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during cruise flight due to fuel exhaustion, and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2008 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Richmond Hill, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-160 · all PA-28-160s on the register
- Registration
- N5426W · no longer on the register · serial 28-498
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew cross-country from his home airport to another airport, and upon arrival, requested that the airplane's fuel tanks be "topped off." The following morning, the pilot flew to a third airport, where the fuel tanks were again topped off. After departing that airport, the pilot flew locally for about 1.5 hours, and then flew another 1.5 hours back to the second airport. Upon arrival, he requested that the airplane be "fully fueled" before his departure to his home airport, 3 days later. On the morning of his departure, the pilot first went to the fixed base operator, and paid for 4-nights' parking and 42.3 gallons of fuel. During the preflight inspection of the airplane, the pilot did not remove the fuel caps to check the quantity. After takeoff, he noted that the fuel gauges indicated half full for each tank, which he believed to be normal for that indicating system when starting with full tanks. About 2 hours later, the fuel gauges still indicated approximately half full. Some time later, the engine sputtered, then lost all power. The pilot switched to the other fuel tank, which was then indicating about one fourth full, and he was able to restart the engine. The pilot declared an emergency, and turned the airplane toward an airport; however, about 5 minutes later, the engine quit, and the pilot could not restart it. The pilot then attempted a forced landing to a road, but impacted trees. A postflight examination of the airplane revealed only trace amounts of fuel onboard. Fuel receipts confirmed that the airplane was initially topped off with 42.3 gallons of fuel at the second airport, but that during the subsequent visit, no fuel was pumped. When the pilot paid for his fuel, he thought he was paying for two refuelings, when he was actually only paying for one.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 151 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 78 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,196 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,193 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISM Kissimmee FL at 1:25 pm
- Destination: FAY Fayetteville NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from SAV, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.