Cessna 414A accident near Piqua, Ohio, May 7, 1991
On May 7, 1991 at about 7:23 pm local time, a Cessna 414A, registered N222SV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Piqua, Ohio (Piqua airport). 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
THE PILOT'S INCOMPLETE PREFLIGHT OF THE FUEL QUANTITY AND THE INACCURATE FUEL GAGES, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING ON ROUGH TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT FUEL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1991 · about 7:23 pm local time
- Place
- Piqua, Ohio · Piqua · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N222SV · registry record · serial 414-0164
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS ON HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT IN THIS MODEL AIRPLANE. ON FINAL APPROACH, AT APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, BOTH ENGINES QUIT. HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A FIELD SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE PILOT STATED, 'I DID NOT CHECK THE FUEL TANKS VISUALLY.' HE ALSO SAID, 'I DID NOT USE THE AUXILIARY FUEL BOOST PUMPS.' THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK HAD 3/4 OF A GALLON AND THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK HAD 3 1/4 GALLONS. THE INVESTIGATION ALSO REVEALED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK GAGE READ APPROXIMATELY 25 GALLONS HIGH, AND THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK GAGE READ APPROXIMATELY 15 GALLONS HIGH. THE CESSNA FLIGHT HANDBOOK, BEFORE LANDING CHECKLIST STATES IN PART: ITEM #4, AUXILIARY FUEL BOOST PUMPS ON. THE AIRPLANE MANUFACTURER SAYS WITHOUT USING THE AUXILIARY FUEL BOOST PUMPS, ANY INTERRUPTION OF THE FUEL SUPPLY CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO EXPERIENCE FUEL EXHAUSTION.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 716 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 589 as pilot in command; 146 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 6,350 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-JCN (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: K.K. Leasing, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: I65 Richmond IN at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.
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.