- Date
- August 28, 1990, 01:32 local (06:32 UTC)
- Place
- Bulverde, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N55234Piper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900828036609A
- Case key
- 23035
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Mismanagement of the fuel supply resulting in fuel starvation. Factors were the pilot's lack of experience in the airplane, the dark night condition, and the trees.
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 stu plt and one pax were on a night cross country flt when a ttl non-mechanical loss of power occurred. The plt was in contact with ATC and req'd clearance to land. ATC granted the request and offered info on a closer arpt. The plt initially rejected the alternate arpt and req'd to continue inbound. According to the pax, the plt made numerous attempts to restart the engine, but could not do so during the forced landing. After a minute the plt req'd vectors to the alternate arpt which were transmitted to him. He established a 70 mph glide toward the arpt and continued to attempt a restart. He switched fuel tanks several times and used the primer during these attempts. The airplane impacted into trees approximately one mile southwest of the alternate arpt. Examination of the fuel tanks revealed the right tank empty and the left tank one quarter full. The right tank was found selected. The engine was successfully test run after the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55234
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7325348
- Airframe hours
- 3,368
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hangar Aviation Inc.
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 2, 1990 · 65 hours before
- Departed
- T82 · Fredericksburg, TX
- Destination
- SAT · San Antonio, TX
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
- 25
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 119 total · 7 in this make and model · 99 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SAT, 15 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.