Piper PA-38-112 N2493A

Summary

On 30 January 1997 at about 23:30 local time, a Piper PA-38-112 registered N2493A was involved in an accident near Boswell, Oklahoma, United States. One person was on board and one 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

30 January 1997 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Boswell, Oklahoma, United States

Coordinates

34.0199, -95.8602

Aircraft

Piper PA-38-112

Registration

N2493A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rockwall → Bonham

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA095

1 person had minor injuries.

The student pilot's improper inflight planning and decision, after becoming lost/disoriented, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, before landing in a suitable landing area. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot of another aircraft did not accurately identify the lost airplane before providing directions, and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing, once the engine lost power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the student pilot and the operator of the airplane, the student was on a solo cross country flight from Rockwall, Texas, to Bonham, Texas, with an intermediate stop in Paris, Texas. During the flight from Rockwall to Paris, the student did not locate his destination airport. After trying to find the airport for approximately 20 minutes, he continued on toward Bonham, which was approximately 37 nautical miles from Paris. The student became disoriented and attempted to contact both Fort Worth and McAlester Flight Service Stations without success. Other pilots in the area heard the student's calls and attempted to help. A pilot, who thought he saw the student's airplane (but might have seen another airplane), informed the student that Bonham was north of his position. The student flew north in search of Bonham, until the airplane ran out of fuel near Boswell, Oklahoma. Subsequently, the airplane was damaged during a forced landing in a rough/uneven field.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.