Piper PA-23-160 accident near Casper, Wyoming, November 14, 1994
On November 14, 1994 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-160, registered N3323P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Casper, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 1994 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Casper, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N3323P · no longer on the register · serial 23-1274
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS PLANNED FOR 4+20 WITH 5 HRS FUEL ON BOARD. WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AFTER 4+15 FLIGHT TIME BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN AREA WHERE, DURING THE GEAR UP LANDING, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH ROUGH TERRAIN. POST CRASH INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE FUEL TANKS. THE AIRPLANE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH FUEL FLOW GAUGES, AND THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES WERE NOT ACCURATE WHEN THE TANKS WERE LESS THAN 1/2 FULL.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 850 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 800 as pilot in command; 40 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 1994; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: US Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: FAR Fargo ND at 1:00 pm
- Destination: CPR WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.