Piper PA-31-350 N44AC
21 April 1994 · Laredo, Texas, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 21 April 1994 at about 13:05 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N44AC, operated by Aeropac, was involved in an accident near Laredo, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 13:05
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Laredo, Texas, United States
- Coordinates
- 27.5104, -99.4993
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350
- Registration
- N44AC
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Aeropac
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- San Antonio → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW94LA136
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
THE FUEL EXHAUSTION INDUCED POWER LOSS DUE TO THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT AND HIS FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT STATED THAT ABOUT 5 MILES SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE RIGHT ENGINE LOW FUEL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE AND BOTH SUBSEQUENTLY LOST TOTAL POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING INTO ROUGH BRUSH COVERED TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT CHECK THE TANKS DURING PREFLIGHT, BUT INSTEAD RELIED ON THE GAUGES WHICH HE THOUGHT INDICATED HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Feb 1994 | Piper PA-31-350 | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | Arizona Pacific Airlines | Serious injuries | - |
| 17 Jun 1994 | Piper PA-31-350 | Oxford, Connecticut, United States | The Plane Broker | No injuries | - |
| 18 Jul 1994 | Piper PA-31-310 | McCarthy, Alaska, United States | Gulkana Air Service | Serious injuries | - |
| 18 May 1994 | Piper PA-31-350 | Herrera, Dominican Republic | Dorado Air | No injuries | - |
| 4 Mar 1994 | Piper PA-31-350 | Frazier Park, California, United States | Ameriflight, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 7 Apr 1994 | Piper PA-31-350 | Elizabethton, Tennessee, United States | Augusta Aviation, Inc. | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 1994 | Piper PA-28-151 | McKinney, Texas, United States | Centerline Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 1 Jan 1994 | Hughes 369HS | Mason, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 18 Jan 1994 | Cessna 150D | Mount Pleasant, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 1994 | Piper PA-34-200T | Dallas, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Jan 1994 | Nelson FORD V-6 STOL 262 | San Benito, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 3 Feb 1994 | Cessna T210H | McAllen, Texas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |