Piper PA-28-181 accident near Syracuse, Utah, November 14, 1995
On November 14, 1995 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N4496F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Syracuse, Utah. 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, 1995 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Syracuse, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N4496F · registry record · serial 28-7790035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD PLANNED A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, BUT DECIDED TO TURN AROUND AND RETURN TO HIS DEPARTURE POINT AFTER ONE HOUR AND FORTY MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT LAND TO REFUEL, AS HE FELT HE WOULD STILL HAVE ONE HOUR OF RESERVE AFTER LANDING. THE PILOT WAS APPROACHING THE AIRPORT WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN AREA AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH ROUGH TERRAIN. POST CRASH INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY OF FUEL. THERE WAS NO FUEL LEAK AND THE FUEL TANKS REMAINED INTACT. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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: 90 hours in all; 6 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,303 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 7, 1995; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: US Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: OGD Ogden UT at 4:30 pm
- Destination: SGU St. George UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from OGD, 14 miles away
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.