# Accident 20231218022459A: Piper PA23-250, Forney, TX, December 18, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 18, 2023, 14:42 local time
- Place: Forney, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.7547° N, 96.4653° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7547&lon=-96.4653&mi=10
- Aircraft: N66RC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N66RC-2024-04-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-23-250 (registry code 7102308, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA23-250
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 871 total, 69 in this make and model, 90 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN24LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231218022459A

## Narrative

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

AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED.  THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE MEDIAN OF US HIGHWAY 80 AT PISON ROAD OVERPASS.  BOTH WING TIPS WERE IMPACTED, AND THE WING FUEL CELLS EXPOSED.  THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FUEL IN THE FUEL CELLS.  THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS BENT 90 DEGREES FROM IMPACTING THE HIGHWAY GUARDRAILS.  THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED.  THERE WAS NO POST IMPACT FIRE AND NO INDICATION OF FUEL ON THE GROUND.

WHEN THE PILOT WAS ASKED WHAT HAPPENED, SHE STATED THAT SHE RAN OUT OF GAS.  UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO CLEARLY PROVIDE ADEQUATE PRE-FLIGHT PLANNING.  THE PILOT STATED: “ACCORDING TO MY GAUGES - I CALCULATED I DEPARTED MESQUITE WITH 163 GALLONS OF FUEL. 68 GALLONS ON MY INBOARD TANKS AND 95 GALLONS ON MY OUTBOARD TANKS. AT 26 GALLONS PER HOUR FROM ENGINE START, I SHOULD HAVE HAD A LITTLE OVER 6 HOURS OF FUEL.  MY ANALOGUE GAUGES INSIDE THE PLANE INDICATED I HAD 1/4 OF A TANK ON EACH ENGINE. THERE WAS NEVER A GRADUAL DROP ON THE NEEDLE. I WENT FROM 1/4 OF A TANK TO ALL OF A SUDDEN EMPTY.”

THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATING SYSTEM IN THIS AIRCRAFT USES “FLOAT-TYPE” FUEL QUANTITY SENDERS WHICH USE A RESISTANCE SYSTEM TO SEND SIGNAL TO THE ANALOG FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS.  THIS SYSTEM IS NOT PRECISE AND DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR TEMPERATURE AND SPECIFIC GRAVITY.  THUS, WHEN THE FUEL IS COLD, THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS WILL SHOW LESS FUEL THAN WHEN THE FUEL IS WARMER.  IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THIS TYPE OF FUEL QUANTITY INDICATING SYSTEM TO PROVIDE INACCURATE INFORMATION.

## 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 CEN24LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA068), Dec 18, 2023: Piper PA-23-250 (N66RC), Forney, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate fuel planning and improper in-flight decision-making, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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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