# Accident 20241211020339A: Piper PA-31-350, Victoria, TX, December 11, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 11, 2024, 14:55 local time
- Place: Victoria, TX
- Airport: Victoria Regional
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.8534° N, 96.9704° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.8534&lon=-96.9704&mi=10
- Aircraft: N818BR, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N818BR) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2B (registry code 41976, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-j2b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-350
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TIO-540-J2B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 5
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 7,034 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 35 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA060) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241211020339A

## Narrative

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

OUR OFFICE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE CENTRAL ROC AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 CST ON DECEMBER 11, 2025, NOTIFYING US OF AN AIRCRAFT CRASH ON A ROADWAY WITH INJURIES IN VICTORIA, TEXAS.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE BACK TO THE VICTORIA REGIONAL AIRPORT (VCT) WHEN THE PILOT NOTICED HIS LOW FUEL CONDITION.  HE CONTINUED TO VCT AND THOUGHT HE COULD MAKE IT UNTIL THE ENGINES BEGAN TO SPUTTER.  HE ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A FRONTAGE ROAD WHERE HE STRUCK A LIGHT POLE AND SEVERAL VEHICLES AT THE INTERSECTION OF FM 463 AND MOCKINGBIRD LANE.

ON SCENE INVESTIGATION CONFIRMED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ONLY CONTAINED UNUSABLE FUEL.  WHEN INTERVIEWED, THE PILOT CONFIRMED THAT HE HAD NOT PERFORMED PREFLIGHT FUEL CALCULATIONS OR A WEIGHT AND BALANCE.  THIS SUPPORTS THE CONCLUSION THAT THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT IS FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO IMPROPER PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT.

## 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 CEN25LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA060), Dec 11, 2024: Piper PA-31-350 (N818BR), Victoria, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning and preflight inspection, 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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