Piper PA24 N7469P

Summary

On 30 August 2020 at about 18:45 local time, a Piper PA24 registered N7469P was involved in an accident near Bryan, Texas, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 August 2020 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Bryan, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Coulter Field (CFD)

Coordinates

30.7157, -96.3313

Aircraft

Piper PA24

Registration

N7469P

Category

Airplane

Year built

1961

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bryan → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20LA370

3 people died.

A total loss of engine power on takeoff due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was taking three passengers for a local sightseeing flight. A security video at the airport showed the airplane took off from runway 15. There were no video recordings of or witnesses to the accident. The airplane wreckage was located on a flat grass field off of the departure end of runway 15 on airport property and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage. An onsite examination of the airframe found the fuel tank selector handle in the right main position. The right main fuel cell was not damaged and did not contain fuel; however, fuel was likely available in the other three fuel tanks. Rotational signatures on the propeller were consistent with it not being driven at the time of impact. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Toxicology testing showed that the pilot had used the allergy medication cetirizine. Cetirizine may sometimes cause drowsiness, but whether cetirizine effects contributed to the accident could not be determined. Based upon the available evidence, the lack of damage to the propeller is consistent with a loss of engine power and it is likely that the engine lost power shortly after takeoff. The reason for the loss of engine power was likely due to fuel starvation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.