Piper PA-28-180 accident near Reno, Ohio, November 25, 1998
On November 25, 1998 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7177W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's disregard of the information provided by the fuel gauges, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Factors in the accident included leaks in the fuel system, and the pilot's reliance on using timing alone to determine fuel consumption.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 1998 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7177W · no longer on the register · serial 28-984
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed on a cross country flight with full fuel tanks. The pilot flight-planned for 4 hours of flight, but after 2 1/2 hours noticed the 'fuel gauges looked unusually low.' He diverted to an airport, and 1/2 hour later, about 2 nautical miles from that airport, the engine lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field. Post flight inspection revealed evidence of slight fuel leakage at the carburetor fuel inlet fitting, a pinhole leak in the fuel primer line, and a very slight fuel stain emanating from the left wing fuel cap. There was no evidence of faulty fuel gauges at low fuel levels. A review of the local sectional aeronautical chart revealed that the pilot selected an airport which was ahead, and along the intended route. However, there were numerous other airports which were closer, and could have been selected, but were not along the intended route.
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: 493 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,028 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 1998; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FWN Sussex NJ at 2:00 pm
- Destination: PKB Parkersburg WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from CKB, 50 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.
Other NTSB records under N7177W 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.