# Accident 20110128001429A: Piper PA-24-250, Huntsville, TX, January 28, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 28, 2011, 14:00 local time
- Place: Huntsville, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.9028° N, 95.4378° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.9028&lon=-95.4378&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8023P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8023P) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-24-250 (registry code 7102404, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-250
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO 540 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 100 total, 37 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN11LA162](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA162) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110128001429A

## Narrative

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

AT 1400 CST, AIRCRAFT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING APPROXIMATELY 12 NM NE OF HUNTSVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KUTS) ON A DIRT ROAD INSIDE THE ELLIS UNIT TEXAS STATE PRISON GROUNDS. PILOT STATES THAT HE TOPPED OFF HIS FUEL TANKS WITH 9 GALLONS OF 100LL AT KUTS JUST PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT. SINCE THE AIRCRAFT FUEL GAUGE WAS INOPERATIVE, HE STATES THAT HE STARTED HIS STOPWATCH @ 1302 CST, WHEN HE STARTED HIS ENGINE & TOOK OFF AT 1309 CST FROM KUTS. AFTER 58 MINUTES, PILOT STATES THAT THE ENGINE STARTED SURGING DUE TO LACK OF FUEL. PILOT SAYS HE WAS USING THE LH MAIN TANK, BUT TRIED SWITCHING THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO THE OTHER 3 POSITIONS TO RESTART THE ENGINE WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. HE THEN MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD SHORT OF HIS INTENDED LANDING SPOT. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LH WING & LANDING GEAR AND SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE RH MAIN LANDING GEAR.

## 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 CEN11LA162](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA162), Jan 28, 2011: Piper PA24 (N8023P), Huntsville, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection to ensure the main tanks were full, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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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