- Date
- September 29, 1985, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mount Vernon, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7554JPiper PA-28-R
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850929048089A
- Case key
- 21857
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported he ran out of gas maneuvering under an overcast to find a suitable landing site. He had attempted to circumnavigate a large area of severe weather but exhausted his fuel supply. He stated that the engine quit and he stalled the aircraft at tree top level. Ground impact was attenuated by the trees. The accident was witnessed by a patrolman, and rescue was almost immediate.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7554J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- PA2830930
- Airframe hours
- 5,426
- Engine
- Lycoming I0360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thompas P. O'Neil
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 18, 1985 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- BMT · Beaumont, TX
- Destination
- Clarksville, AR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 405 total · 301 in this make and model · 320 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAL, 85 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.