Casualties unknown

Pilot Forgets Approach Charts, Runs Out of Fuel, Collides with Road Sign During Highway Landing (N5933P)

Jordan Valley, OR, US

On December 27, 1999, a Piper PA-24-250 (registration N5933P) was involved in an aviation accident near Jordan Valley, OR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Inadequate preflight planning/preparation. Unsuitable terrain was selected for landing and a road sign were factors. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot who forgot his approach charts attempted to find a VFR airport due to IMC at destination. After fuel exhaustion in both main tanks, he initiated a precautionary landing on a highway, during which the aircraft struck a road marker sign.

Accident Details

A pilot reported an incident that occurred while en route to his intended destination. The pilot stated that he forgot his approach charts, and the destination airport was under instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).

Sequence of Events

Faced with IMC at the destination, the pilot attempted to locate a nearby airport where he could land under visual conditions. However, his efforts were unsuccessful. During the search for a visual flight rules (VFR) airport, both the left and right main fuel tanks ran out of fuel.

The pilot estimated that approximately five gallons of fuel remained in each tip tank. Based on this estimate, he decided to conduct a precautionary landing on a highway.

Landing and Collision

During the landing roll on the highway, the aircraft collided with a road marker sign. No further details about the extent of damage or any injuries were provided in the report.

The pilot's account did not specify the aircraft type, registration, date, operator, location, or number of occupants. The report also did not characterize the time of day or weather conditions beyond noting IMC at the destination.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001212X20325. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.