Piper PA-32-260 accident near Suffolk, Virginia, March 13, 1995
On March 13, 1995 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N57326, was destroyed in an accident near Suffolk, Virginia (Suffolk Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT AND IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. DARKNESS WAS A FACTOR RELATED TO THE IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION-MAKING FOR THE EMERGENCY LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 1995 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Suffolk, Virginia · Suffolk Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N57326 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7400016
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DEPARTING FROM HAMPTON, GA, THE PILOT REQUESTED THAT THE TWO MAIN TANKS AND TWO AUX TANKS BE 'TOPPED'; HOWEVER, THE REFUELER STATED THAT ONLY THE MAINS WERE FILLED. EN ROUTE, THE PILOT BECAME AWARE OF A LOW FUEL CONDITION. A PASSENGER STATED THAT THE PILOT CONSIDERED LANDING AT RALEIGH-DURHAM FOR FUEL, BUT HAVING A RADIO PROBLEM, HE CONTINUED THE FLIGHT TOWARD THE DESTINATION (NEWPORT NEWS, VA). LATER, HE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO SUFFOLK, VA, BUT THE ENGINE LOST POWER ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE SUFFOLK MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES AS THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING TO LAND IN A FIELD AT NIGHT. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL WAS FOUND AT THE SCENE. A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD SHOWED THAT IT CONTAINED 0.048 MCG/ML OF CHLORPHENIRAMINE (OVER-THE-COUNTER ANTIHISTAMINE). CHLORPHENIRAMINE AND PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE (OVER-THE-COUNTER DECONGESTANT) WERE ALSO DETECTED IN HIS URINE. CHLORPHENIRAMINE IS A CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANT THAT COULD CAUSE DROWSINESS AND IS NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,877 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 4,581 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 1994; 119 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4A7 Hampton GA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: PHF Newport News VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from ORF, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 3 |
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.