Piper PA28R-180 accident near Walbridge, Ohio, February 28, 1998
On February 28, 1998, a Piper PA28R-180, registered N4679J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Walbridge, Ohio (Metcalf airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to refuel the aircraft resulting in fuel exhaustion, and his unsuccessful attempt to clear the wires. Contributing factors were the pilot's inadequate preflight, dark night conditions, and the wires.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1998
- Place
- Walbridge, Ohio · Metcalf · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28R-180 · all PA28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4679J · no longer on the register · serial 28R30579
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the pilot preflighted the airplane, he observed the fuel in the right tank was even with the point where the bottom of the tank met the outboard vertical wall of the tank, which he estimated was 13 gallons. He observed the fuel in the left tank to be level with a point about 2 inches from the outboard vertical wall, along the bottom surface of the tank, which he estimated was 7-8 gallons. The pilot then flew a 30 minute flight stopping at Sandusky, Ohio, to pick up a passenger. During the second takeoff under dark night conditions, the pilot told the passenger to expect the engine to quit because he planned to run the fuel out of the left tank, and save the right tank for the approach. About 10 minutes after takeoff the engine quit. The pilot switched tanks and the engine restarted for a few minutes, and then quit again while the aircraft was climbing through 7,700 feet. The pilot performed a forced landing noticing wires in his flight path and 'dove sharply to avoid them' without success. The airplane struck a lower set of wires on approach to a field. Examination of the wreckage revealed the left and right fuel tanks were intact and contained about 1/2 quart of fuel each. The airplane's useable fuel capacity was 48 gallons, and according to range charts, the engine's fuel consumption rate was 8.1 gallons per hour at 70% power. The airplane had been flown about 5.91 hours since its last refueling.
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
- Flight time: 573 hours in all; 479 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 511 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,447 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 1997; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SKY Sandusky OH at 11:45 pm
- Destination: 3G9 Lambertville MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from TOL, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.