# Accident 20260920012839A: Piper PA-28-140, Junction, TX, September 20, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 20, 2026, 23:14 local time
- Place: Junction, TX
- Airport: Kimble County
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.5111° N, 99.7629° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at KIMBLE COUNTY (JCT), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5111&lon=-99.7629&mi=10
- Aircraft: N224BB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N224BB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 321 total, 272 in this make and model, 154 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC26LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA107) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260920012839A

## Narrative

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

PREFLIGHT AND DEPARTURE: PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT OBTAINED AN OFFICIAL WEATHER BRIEFING VIA 1800WXBRIEF. THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED WITH 6 QUARTS OF ENGINE OIL AND 29 GALLONS OF FUEL VERIFIED, AND FUEL SUMPS WERE DRAINED CLEAR OF WATER. DURING TAXI TO RUNWAY 17 AT KIMBLE COUNTY AIRPORT (KJCT) AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE RUN-UP, MAGNETO DROPS (100 RPM RIGHT / 60 RPM LEFT) AND ENGINE INSTRUMENT INDICATIONS (OIL PRESSURE, OIL TEMPERATURE, FUEL PRESSURE) WERE VERIFIED WITHIN NORMAL OPERATING LIMITS.

IN-FLIGHT EVENT / PARTIAL POWER LOSS: AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED RUNWAY 17 AT KJCT AT APPROXIMATELY 2312 CENTRAL TIME UNDER CALM WIND CONDITIONS, CLIMBING TOWARD A PLANNED CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 5,500 FEET MSL. AT APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED DROP IN PARTIAL POWER FROM 2,560 RPM DOWN TO 1,100 RPM.

EMERGENCY ACTIONS AND FORCED LANDING: THE PILOT ADVANCED THE MIXTURE TO FULL RICH AND THROTTLE TO FULL POWER WITH THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP ON; NO INCREASE IN ENGINE POWER RESULTED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REPRIME AND ENGAGE THE STARTER; THE ENGINE CONTINUED RUNNING AT APPROXIMATELY 1,100 RPM, WHICH WAS INSUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE OR LEVEL FLIGHT. THE PILOT CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR BEST GLIDE, EXECUTED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, AND SELECTED AN OFF-FIELD FORCED LANDING SITE USING ELECTRONIC FLIGHT BAG SOFTWARE (FOREFLIGHT).

IMPACT AND POST-EVENT SEQUENCE: AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL, THE PILOT MOVED THE MIXTURE CONTROL TO LEAN AND REDUCED THROTTLE TO IDLE. BEFORE THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN CHECKLIST COULD BE COMPLETED, THE AIRCRAFT'S LANDING GEAR CONTACTED TREE TOPS DURING THE FORCED LANDING DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE TREE CANOPY AND TERRAIN. THE PILOT WAS RENDERED UNCONSCIOUS DURING THE IMPACT, SUBSEQUENTLY REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS, AND INITIATED A 911 EMERGENCY CALL.

## 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 ANC26LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA107), Sep 21, 2026: Piper PA-28-140 (N224BB), Junction, TX, investigation ongoing

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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