Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hillsboro, Texas 76645
Sunday, October 25, 1992 19:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A PRIVATE PILOT ON A 536 NAUTICAL MILES CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FLEW FOR FOUR HOURS AND TWELVE MINUTES BEFORE RUNNING OUT OF FUEL ON THE RETURN LEG OF HIS FLIGHT. HE HAD TAKEN OFF WITH 84 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND DID NOT REFUEL AT HIS OVERNIGHT STOP. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING NEXT TO AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, BOTH MAIN LANDING GEARS COLLAPSED AND THE LEFT WING IMPACTED A UTILITY POLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL EXHAUSTION ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN AVAILABLE FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/25/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HILLSBORO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76645
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 183
Weather Observation Facility ID ACT
Elevation of weather observation facility 540
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3010
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 25 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2003
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47246
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7629Y
NTSB Number FTW93LA023
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-30
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30
Aircraft Serial Number 30-705
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 5 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUN BELT AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 193
Aircraft Owner City MCGREGOR
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76657
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUN BELT AVIATION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 193
Operator City MCGREGOR
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76657
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HOT
Departure City HOT SPRINGS
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1720
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code F60
Destination City MCGREGOR
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --