Piper PA-24 accident near Casper, Wyoming, April 6, 1993
On April 6, 1993 at about 1:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-24, registered N5541P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Casper, Wyoming (Natrona County Int 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION, AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S POOR INFLIGHT DECISION. FACTORS INCLUDE AN INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1993 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Casper, Wyoming · Natrona County Int · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24 · all PA-24s on the register
- Registration
- N5541P · no longer on the register · serial 24-605
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF THE FLIGHT, WHO HAD NOT PERSONALLY PERFORMED A VISUAL CHECK OF THE FUEL QUANTITY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, AND WHO HAD EXPERIENCED UNEXPECTED STRONG HEADWINDS ALONG THE ENTIRE ROUTE, REFILED FOR A MORE DISTANT AIRPORT WHILE ABOUT 15 MINUTES SHORT OF THE ORIGINAL DESTINATION. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE STRONG HEADWINDS WHILE CONTINUING EN ROUTE TO THE REFILED DESTINATION WHERE THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED TO BE CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN THAT AT THE ORIGINAL DESTINATION. FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON ILS FINAL TO THE REFILED DESTINATION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,450 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UBE Cumberland WI at 9:45 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 8, 8,679 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 010° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 200 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from CPR, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.