Piper PA-24-250 accident near Sheridan, Wyoming, September 3, 1995
On September 3, 1995 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N700TD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sheridan, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel starvation for undetermined reasons. The lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 1995 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sheridan, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N700TD · registry record · serial 24-2818
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
One of the passengers reported that the engine suddenly lost power shortly after takeoff. Witnesses observed the airplane make a left turn before they lost sight of the airplane behind the rolling terrain. The airplane had collided on the uphill-side of a small hill in a left wing-low attitude. The surrounding terrain varied from flat open fields to rolling hills. Fuel system examination revealed that 3 of the 4 fuel tanks had ruptured. The fuel lines to the fuel selector were compromised; however, fuel was found in the fuel selector bowl. The selector was positioned and in the detent for the left auxiliary fuel tank. The fuel lines forward to the engine and carburetor were intact; however, no fuel was present forward of the fuel selector. The engine was examined and no evidence was found to indicate a mechanical failure or malfunction. The airplane was approximately 381 pounds over its maximum gross weight.
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: 1,746 hours in all; 307 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,573 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 1994; 135 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: K06 Beardstown IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from SHR, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N700TD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA95FA199.