Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Ashland, Ohio, August 4, 1997
On August 4, 1997 at about 5:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N33341, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ashland, Ohio (Ashland County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper fuel management which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1997 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Ashland, Ohio · Ashland County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N33341 · registry record · serial 28R-7535135
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was on his fourth and final leg of a night cross-country. After the airport was in sight, the engine lost power and the pilot executed a forced landing. On final approach the pilot determined that he was too high and fast to land on the runway. He then proceeded straight ahead under control, and came to rest in a corn field. The FAA reported that they drained 72 ounces of fuel from the wing tanks. The PA-28R-200 had a useable fuel capacity of 48 gallons, of which 2 gallons (256 ounces) were unusable. According to the hobbs meter, the pilot had flown a total of 4.9 hours and made 4 takeoffs.
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: 4,978 hours in all; 11 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,382 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 25, 1997; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I89 Wheeling WV at 3:42 am
- Destination: 3G4
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 am from MFD, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.