PITTSTOWN, NJ, USA
N4385L
PIPER PA-28-181
THE PILOT OF THE PIPER PA-28 WAS AT CRUISE ALTITUDE WHEN HE REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE WAS RUNNING LOW ON FUEL. AT THAT POINT HE WAS 7 MILES FROM ALLENTOWN AIRPORT, BUT CHOSE TO CONTINUE TO HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER HE ASKED ATC TO GET HIM TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT BECAUSE FUEL WAS GETTING CRITICAL. ABOUT 23 MINUTES AFTER FIRST REPORTING LOW FUEL TO ATC THE ENGINE QUIT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS VECTORED TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 1100 FEET AND 2 1/2 MILES NORTH OF ALEXANDRIA AIRPORT. AFTER BREAKING OUT OF THE CLOUDS ON APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT THE AIRCRAFT STARTED CLIPPING TREES. THE PILOT FLARED THE AIRCRAFT TO SLOW THE FORWARD SPEED AND CRASHED INTO THE TREES.
IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING WHICH LED TO ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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