# Accident 19970130000989A: Piper PA38112, Boswell, OK, January 30, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 30, 1997, 17:30 local time
- Place: Boswell, OK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.0199° N, 95.8602° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0199&lon=-95.8602&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2493A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2493A-2013-07-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-38-112 (registry code 7103812, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA38112
- Reported engine: LYC O235L2C
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 52 total, 52 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA095) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970130000989A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4) ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT AND THE OPERATOR OF THE AIRPLANE, THE STUDENT WAS ON A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM ROCKWALL, TEXAS, TO BONHAM, TEXAS, WITH AN INTERMEDIATE STOP IN PARIS, TEXAS. DURING THE FLIGHT FROM ROCKWALL TO PARIS, THE STUDENT DID NOT LOCATE HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. AFTER TRYING TO FIND THE AIRPORT FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES, HE CONTINUED ON TOWARD BONHAM, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 37 NAUTICAL MILES FROM PARIS. THE STUDENT BECAME DISORIENTED AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT BOTH FORT WORTH AND MCALESTER FLIGHT SERVICE STATIONS WITHOUT SUCCESS. OTHER PILOTS IN THE AREA HEARD THE STUDENT'S CALLS AND ATTEMPTED TO HELP. A PILOT, WHO THOUGHT HE SAW THE STUDENT'S AIRPLANE (BUT MIGHT HAVE SEEN ANOTHER AIRPLANE), INFORMED THE STUDENT THAT BONHAM WAS NORTH OF HIS POSITION. THE STUDENT FLEW NORTH IN SEARCH OF BONHAM, UNTIL THE AIRPLANE RAN OUT OF FUEL NEAR BOSWELL, OKLAHOMA. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE WAS DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A ROUGH/UNEVEN FIELD. (-23) ON JANUARY 30, 1997, AT 1730 CST, A PIPER PA-38, N2493A, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A PASTURE NORTH OF BOSWELL, OK. TH                                                                 E STUDENT PILOT WAS ON THE GROUND LEG OF A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY WHEN HE BECAME DISORIENTED. THE PILOT CONTINUED TO FLY SEARCHING FOR JONES AIRPORT IN BOHMAN, TX, HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT, UNTIL THE AIRPLANE RAN OUT OF FUEL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW97LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA095), Jan 30, 1997: Piper PA-38-112 (N2493A), Boswell, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's improper inflight planning and decision, after becoming lost/disoriented, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, before landing in a suitable landing area. Factors relating to the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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