Piper PA-28-180 N5258L

Summary

On 14 February 1989 at about 20:10 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N5258L, operated by Robles, Robert R., was involved in an accident near Seminole, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 February 1989 at 20:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Seminole, Texas, United States

Coordinates

32.7102, -102.6503

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N5258L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robles, Robert R.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sayre → Odessa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW89LA050

2 people had minor injuries.

THE PILOT'S DELAY IN UPDATING HIS WEATHER AND DIVERTING TO AN ALTERNATE DESTINATION, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION FROM LACK OF FUEL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION AT THE EN ROUTE STOP, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT RCVD A WX BRIEFING AT 0543 CST FOR A FLT AT 0730 CST, FROM OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, TO SAYRE, TX. WHILE AT SAYRE, HE DID NOT REFUEL THE ACFT OR UPDATE HIS WX INFO BEFORE DEPARTING AT 1045 CST ON A FLT TO ODESSA, TX. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE UPDATED HIS DESTN WX AT 1239 CST & ELECTED TO DIVERT TO HOBBS, NM, WHEN HE LEARNED THE WX AT ODESSA WAS BELOW LANDING MINIMUMS. HOWEVER, HE ENCOUNTERED A HEADWIND & HIS FUEL WAS EXHAUSTED BEFORE REACHING HOBBS. SUBSEQUENTLY, DRG AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD, THE GEAR COLLAPSED ON SOFT/WET TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.