# NTSB CEN24LA339: Piper PA-28-140, N40939, Borger, TX, September 5, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 4, 2024, 20:30 local (Sep 5, 2024, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Borger, TX - Coordinates: 35.700889, -101.39366 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7009&lon=-101.3937&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 195064 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA339 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195064/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195064 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA339 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate fuel management which led to fuel exhaustion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-140, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=7102802), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he added fuel, bringing the total fuel capacity to 42 gallons prior to departure. He stated that 4 hours and 6 minutes into the flight the engine began to lose power. He switched fuel tanks and turned on the electric fuel pump but was unable to restore engine power. He landed the airplane in a field and the airplane struck trees and a pole resulting in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that he was about 2 minutes from the destination airport when the power loss occurred. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed that neither wing fuel tank was compromised, there was no evidence of a fuel leak, and no visible fuel was in either wing fuel tank. ADS-B data showed that the airplane was airborne for 4 hours and 17 minutes as of the last data point received. At that time the airplane was still 36 miles from the destination airport. Based on the airplane’s flight track data it would have required an additional 22 minutes to reach the destination airport. Based on the pilot’s account that the airplane was 2 minutes from the destination, the airplane was airborne for about 4 hours and 37 minutes when the loss of engine power occurred. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N40939](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N40939), registered now, S/N 28-7425191, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7425191 - Year built: 1973 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial observation, Part 91 - Operator: Grog Holdings LLC - Registered owner: Grog Holdings LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: SNL, Shawnee, OK - Destination: Same as departure - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 1, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 192 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 13 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: KBGD - METAR: METAR KBGD 050151Z AUTO 16013G20KT 10SM CLR 26/16 A3018 RMK AO2 SLP182 T02560161= ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20240904012609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240904012609A), Sep 4, 2024: Piper PA-28-140, Borger, TX, Substantial damage. On September 4, 2024, at 2106 CDT, a PA-28-140, registered to private individual, collided with terrain approx. 6.2 NE of Hutchinson County Airport (kbdg)… ## Other investigations on N40939 (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 FTW77FPG05](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW77FPG05), Oct 29, 1976: Piper PA-28 (N40939), Salem, AR, destroyed ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 3, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195064. 35.2 MB in all. - Record of conversation with FAA inspector (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17984041&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FAA-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 746 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17984622&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=pilots%20statement%20N40939_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photographs (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 778 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17985171&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf - ADS-B data (item 4, XLSX, 32.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17987928&FileExtension=xlsx&FileName=20240904_A4D0F3_564021604_ADSB-Rel.xlsx - Plots of ADS-B data (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17987551&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ADS-B%20Plots-Rel.pdf 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. --- 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.