# NTSB CEN25LA176: Beech C90, N501MS, Lancaster, TX, April 28, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: April 28, 2025, 15:37 local (20:37 UTC)
- Place: Lancaster, TX · Corn field.
- Coordinates: 32.590019, -96.71 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5900&lon=-96.7100&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-IFR final approach: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 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 North Texas FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200154
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA176
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200154/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200154
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA176

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of power to both engines.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech C90, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=1152913), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech C90, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=1152913), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md)
- [Knowledge: knowledge of procedures](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032010): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech C90, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032010/cases.md?model=1152913), [All aircraft, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032010/cases.md)
- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech C90, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=1152913), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech C90, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=1152913), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-IFR final approach: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech C90, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=1152913), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md)
- [Approach-IFR final approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Beech C90, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1152913), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Approach-IFR final approach: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Beech C90, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=1152913), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Beech C90, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=1152913), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Beech C90, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=1152913), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)
- [Post-impact: Evacuation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460); cases with it: [Beech C90, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md?model=1152913), [All aircraft, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The twin-engine airplane departed for the international cross-country flight with 380 gallons of Jet A fuel onboard. No fuel stops were performed during the flight. During the approach to the destination airport, the pilot reported that the right engine instruments began to display a decrease in power, until a total loss of power occurred. Shortly after, the left engine sustained a total loss of power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a flat corn field, located about 19.5 miles southeast of the destination airport. The two controllable pitch propellers were not feathered, and the main landing gear was not extended prior to landing in the field. The airplane came to rest upright in the field. The three occupants were able to egress from the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the left wing, and no evidence of a reported fire was noted with the right engine. During the recovery operation, the airframe fuel system was found intact and there were no visible signs of fuel leakage on the airframe. The airframe can contain up to 384 gallons of usable fuel. For the left side of the airplane, about 1 pint of fuel was recovered from the main fuel tank and about 9 gallons of fuel were recovered from the nacelle fuel tank. For the right side of the airplane, about 2 pints of fuel were recovered from the main fuel tank and no fuel was recovered from the nacelle fuel tank. The pilot did not provide any accident flight fuel planning calculation documents. The airplane was not equipped with a low fuel warning light system, nor was it required to be.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N501MS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N501MS), registered now, S/N LJ-626, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH C90
- Registry model: [Beech C90](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c90) (registry code 1152913) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [U/A Canada PT6A-27-28](https://openairdocs.org/engine/u-a-canada-pt6a-27-28) (registry code 61504, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: LJ-626
- Year built: 1974
- Airframe hours: 14250
- Engines: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20 550 horsepower turbo prop; Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20 550 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Operator: Gm Intercom LLC, doing business as Gm Intercom LLC
- Registered owner: Alcyone Trust Corp Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 30, 2024, 80 hours before
- Departed: MMSM, Zumpango de Ocampo, OF
- Destination: DAL, Dallas, TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Equipment: Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Auto-pilot, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 20; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 20, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 764.7 total, 194.6 in this make and model, 204.5 as pilot in command, 77.6 in the last 90 days, 37.6 in the last 30 days
- Co-pilot; age 21; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 7, 2023; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 300 total, 20 in this make and model, 135.4 as pilot in command, 4.3 in the last 90 days, 4.3 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,100 ft overcast
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observed at: KLNC, 1 nm away
- METAR: KLNC 282035Z AUTO 17009KT 10SM OVC031 26/21 A2996 RMK AO2 T02550207

## 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 20250428015899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250428015899A), Apr 28, 2025: Beech C90, Lancaster, TX, Substantial damage. Aircraft [privacy data omitted]declared an emergency while enroute to dal over the Lancaster (klnc) TX airport. The pilot reported the lost of the right engine…

## Docket (12 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 11, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200154. 33.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18834097&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N501MS%20NTSB%20Form%206120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Accident photographs (item 2, PDF, 7 pages, 451 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18785514&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photographs-Rel.pdf
- Pilot - statement (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18785681&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N501MS%20-%20Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Co-pilot - statement (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 7.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18996432&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Co-Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Passenger - statement (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18833675&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Passenger%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Lone star retrieval - recovery information (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18785039&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N501MS%20Lone%20Star%20Retrieval%20-%20MOR-Rel.pdf
- Most recent fuel receipt (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 4.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18996011&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Most%20Recent%20Fuel%20Receipt_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Airplane owner attorney - additional document request information (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19000453&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N501MS%20Airplane%20Owner%20Attorney%20-%20MOR-Rel.pdf
- Accident flight ADS-B data (google earth) (item 9, KMZ, 853 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18785320&FileExtension=kmz&FileName=20250428_A63ECB_586154140-Rel.kmz
- Accident flight ADS-B data (microsoft excel) (item 10, XLSX, 13.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18786026&FileExtension=xlsx&FileName=20250428_A63ECB_586154140_ADSB-Rel.xlsx
- Beechcraft C90 pom AFM excerpt - airframe fuel system (item 11, PDF, 5 pages, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18785234&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Airframe%20Fuel%20System-Rel.pdf
- Beechcraft C90 pom AFM excerpt - emergency procedures (item 12, PDF, 1 page, 249 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18785190&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Emergency%20Procedures-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.

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