# Accident 19981107040099A: Piper PA28R200, Conroe, TX, November 7, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 7, 1998, 19:00 local time - Place: Conroe, TX - Airport: Montgomery County Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 30.3793° N, 95.3794° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3793&lon=-95.3794&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4726R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4726R-2004-04-08) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28R-200 (registry code 7102811, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R200 - Reported engine: LYC IO360C1C - People aboard: 3 - Fatal injuries: 3 - Pilot flight hours: 25,000 total, 9 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99FA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99FA021) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981107040099A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 7, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1900 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28R-200 AIRPLANE, N4726R, OPERATED BY MVP AERO ACADEMY, INC., OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, COLLIDED WITH A TREE AND IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR CONROE, TEXAS. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED, AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED FROM SEARCY, ARKANSAS, APPROXIMATELY 1439. DARK NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION PROVIDED BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSONNEL, THE PILOT FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FOR A TRIP FROM SEARCY TO WACO, TEXAS. WHEN FILING THE FLIGHT PLAN, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ESTIMATED TIME EN ROUTE FOR THE FLIGHT TO WACO WAS 3 HOURS 10 MINUTES AND THAT THE AIRPLANE CARRIED ENOUGH FUEL TO FLY FOR 4 HOURS. AT 1439, THE PILOT MADE A RADIO CALL TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL INDICATING THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS AIRBORNE FROM SEARCY EN ROUTE TO WACO. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT OBTAINED THE REPORTED WEATHER CONDITIONS AT WACO AND AT CONROE, TEXAS, AND THEN AMENDED HIS DESTINATION TO CONROE. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF THE INITIAL APPROACH FIX (ALIBI LOM), THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED FOR THE INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM (ILS) APPROACH TO RUNWAY 14 AT THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY AIRPORT, CONROE, TEXAS, AND TOLD TO SWITCH TO THE UNICOM FREQUENCY FOR THE THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE APPROACH CLEARANCE, AND THERE WERE NO FURTHER RADIO COMMUNICATIONSWITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. ACCORDING TO THE UNICOM OPERATOR ON DUTY AT THE AIRPORT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, HE HEARD NO TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. A WITNESS, WHO WAS DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON HIGHWAY 75, REPORTED TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES THAT SHE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE PASS OVER HER VEHICLE FLYING SOUTH OVER THE HIGHWAY AT A LOW ALTITUDE "LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO LAND ON THE HIGHWAY." SHE HEARD NO SOUND FROM THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE. SHE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE COLLIDE WITH THE TOP OF A TREE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE ROAD, HIT A POWER LINE PARALLELING THE WEST SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND THEN IMPACT THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO THE WITNESS, THE WEATHER WAS CLOUDY WITH LIGHT RAIN AND MIST. LOCAL AUTHORITIES, WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT, WERE CONCERNED ABOUT A "TICKING" NOISE THAT COULD BE HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE AIRPLANE. THEY CONTACTED AN AIRCRAFT PILOT/MECHANIC FROM THE AIRPORT WHO ARRIVED AT THE SITE APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR AFTER THE ACCIDENT. DURING A PERSONAL INTERVIEW WITH THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE, THE MECHANIC REPORTED THAT WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE SITE, THE AIRPLANE'S NAVIGATION LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED AND THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP MOUNTED ON THE FIREWALL WAS OPERATING. HE TURNED OFF THE MASTER SWITCH AND "ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL SWITCHES." THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS "NO FUEL SMELL" AT THE SITE. AT 1903, THE REPORTED WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY AIRPORT WERE WIND DIRECTION VARIABLE AT 4 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 6 STATUE MILES, LIGHT RAIN, MIST, A FEW CLOUDS AT 1,900 FEET, BROKEN CLOUDS AT 3,600 FEET, AND OVERCAST AT 4,900 FEET, TEMPERATURE 17 DEGREES C, DEWPOINT 16 DEGREES C, AND ALTIMETER SETTING 30.11 INCHES OF MERCURY. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 4 NAUTICAL MILES NORTHEAST OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY AIRPORT AT 30 DEGREES 22 MINUTES 49 SECONDS NORTH LATITUDE AND 95 DEGREES 28 MINUTES 44 SECONDS WEST LONGITUDE. THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET WEST OF HIGHWAY 75 AND 335 FEET SOUTH OF A 50-FOOT-TALL PINE TREE WITH SEVERAL FRESHLY CUT BRANCHES LYING ON THE GROUND AT ITS BASE. THE RIGHT WINGTIP WAS FOUND ABOUT 105 FEET SOUTH OF THE TREE AND 38 FEET WEST OF A DIRECT LINE FROM THE TREE TO THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE OUTBOARD SECTION OF THE RIGHT WING WAS FOUND ON THE EAST EDGE OF HIGHWAY 75, ABOUT 105 FEET SOUTH OF THE TREE AND 50 FEET EAST OF A DIRECT LINE FROM THE TREE TO THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE FUSELAGE WAS RESTING ON ITS RIGHT SIDE ON A MEASURED MAGNETIC HEADING OF 330 DEGREES. THE LEFT WING REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE AND DISPLAYED NO VISIBLE DAMAGE. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED, AND THE LEFT FLAP WAS IN THE UP POSITION. THE RIGHT WING (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE WINGTIP AND OUTBOARD SECTION) WAS LYING PARALLEL TO AND BENEATH THE FUSELAGE. IT WAS STRUCTURALLY SEPARATED AT THE WING ROOT, REMAINING ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE ONLY BY AN AILERON CONTROL CABLE. CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED FROM THE CONTROL SURFACES TO THE COCKPIT FOR THE STABILATOR, RUDDER, AND AILERONS. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK WAS INTACT, AND APPROXIMATELY 6 OUNCES OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE TANK. THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK WAS COMPROMISED AND CONTAINED NO FUEL. BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT WING FUEL TANK CAPS WERE IN PLACE, AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL STAINING ON THE UPPER AND LOWER WING SURFACES OR ON THE LOWER FUSELAGE SKIN OF THE AIRPLANE. EXAMINATION OF THE COCKPIT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK. THE FIREWALL IN THE GASCOLATOR MOUNTING AREA WAS BUCKLED, AND THE GASCOLATOR BOWL WAS FOUND PARTIALLY SEPARATED AND CONTAINED NO FUEL. THE ENGINE, A 200 HORSEPOWER LYCOMING IO-360-C1C, REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE MOUNT. THE PROPELLER REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE CRANKSHAFT AND BOTH BLADES REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE HUB. ONE BLADE WAS BENT AFT, AND THE OTHER BLADE DISPLAYED NO VISIBLE BENDING OR TWISTING. AFTER REMOVAL OF THE PROPELLER, ENGINE CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED TO ALL OF THE CYLINDERS AND TO THE ACCESSORY SECTION BY HAND ROTATION. BOTH MAGNETOS SPARKED AT ALL TERMINALS WHEN ROTATED BY HAND. THE SPARK PLUG ELECTRODES OF ALL EIGHT PLUGS WERE UNIFORMLY GRAY IN COLOR. A FEW DROPS OF FUEL WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP AND IN THE FUEL MANIFOLD VALVE. (.4) DURING A DARK NIGHT FORCED LANDING, FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. ON THE FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE FLIGHT FROM SEARCY, AR, TO WACO (ACT), TX, THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT ESTIMATED 3 HRS 10 MIN FLIGHT TIME AND 4 HRS FUEL AVAILABLE. AT 2 HRS 33 MIN INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT AMENDED HIS DESTINATION TO CONROE (CXO), TX, AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS OF INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS AT ACT AND VISUAL CONDITIONS AT CXO. AT 4 HRS 12 MIN INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT RECEIVED CLEARANCE FOR AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO RUNWAY 14 AT CXO. THE PILOT'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE CLEARANCE WAS THE LAST RADIO COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM THE AIRPLANE. AT 4 HRS 20 MIN INTO THE FLIGHT, THE LAST RADAR RETURN SHOWED THE AIRPLANE 4 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST OF CXO. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLY OVER A ROAD AT A LOW ALTITUDE AS THOUGH 'TRYING TO LAND,' COLLIDE WITH A TREE, HIT A POWER LINE, AND IMPACT THE GROUND. NO DISCOLORED VEGETATION OR FUEL ODOR WAS NOTED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. ONE OF THE TWO FUEL TANKS WAS INTACT AND CONTAINED 6 OUNCES OF FUEL. INCLUDING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT AND A 0.8-HR CHECKOUT FLIGHT, THE 25,000-HR PILOT HAD 8.6 HRS FLIGHT TIME IN THE AIRPLANE. (-23) THIS FLIGHT DEPARTED SEARY, ARKANSAS AT APPROXIMATELY 1439 ON A FLIGHT TO WACO, TX. THE FLIGHT PLAN SHOWED 3 HRS.10 MIN ENROUTE AND 4 HRS. FUEL ONBOARD. DURING THE FLIGHT THE PILOT OBTAINED THE REPORTED WEATHER FOR WACO AND CONROE AND AMENDED HIS DESTINATION TO CONROE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLEARED FOR THE ILS APPROACH AT CONROE AND THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE APPROACH CLEARANCE. THERE WERE NO FURTHER RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH AIR TRAFFIC. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 4 NAUTICAL MILES NORTHWEST OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 4.5 HRS. AFTER DEPARTURE FROM SEARCY. THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS INTACT AND CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY 6 OUNCES OF FUEL. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS COMPROMISED AND CONTAINED NO 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 FTW99FA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99FA021), Nov 8, 1998: Piper PA-28R-200 (N4726R), Conroe, TX, substantial damage, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Factors were the dark night light conditions prevailing for the ensuing forced… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.