Piper PA-38-112 accident near Albany, New York, January 14, 1989
On January 14, 1989, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2361K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albany, New York. 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
FUEL EXHAUSTION RESULTING FROM THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT PLANNING AND MISJUDGED FUEL CONSUMPTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 1989
- Place
- Albany, New York · 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
- N2361K · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0591
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN, NEAR THE LAKESHORE VILLAGE APARTMENTS IN ALBANY, NY. THE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED, HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT SAID HE RAN OUT OF GAS BUT WAS AT A LOSS AS TO WHY, AFTER ONLY 4 HOURS OF FLIGHT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 931 hours in all; 708 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 820 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,542 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 1988; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GAI Gaithersburg MD at 8:00 pm
- Destination: ALB Albany NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; not recorded at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N2361K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.