Piper PA-24-180 N888G

Summary

On 22 March 1991 at about 04:25 local time, a Piper PA-24-180 registered N888G, operated by Channel Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Pasadena, Texas, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 March 1991 at 04:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Pasadena, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Ellington Field (EFD)

Coordinates

29.6199, -95.1905

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-180

Registration

N888G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Channel Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Little Rock → Baytown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW91FA055

3 people died.

POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION RESULTANT FROM THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL AT AN ALTERNATE DESTINATION AND THE INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION WHILE ON FINAL BETWEEN THE FAF AND THE THRESHOLD ON A SECOND ILS APPROACH IN NIGHT IMC AFTER A FLIGHT OF 5.1 HOURS. A MISSED APPROACH WAS EXECUTED ON THE FIRST WHEN THE PILOT DEVIATED BEYOND LIMITS BOTH IN ALTITUDE AND COURSE. THE PILOT HAD FLIGHT PLANNED 3:45 ETE AND INDICATED THAT HE HAD 6:00 HOURS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE FUEL EXHAUSTION TIME CORRESPONDED WITH PERFORMANCE DATA PROVIDED IN THE AIRPLANE OWNER'S HANDBOOK. ALTHOUGH HE RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND OBTAINED WEATHER EN ROUTE, THE PILOT DID NOT REQUEST WIND ALOFT INFORMATION. THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED 35 TO 40 KNOT HEAD WINDS THROUGHOUT THE TRIP AND ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE CONTROLLERS ASKED THE PILOT IF HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL TO REACH HIS DESTINATION. DURING THE FINAL LEG OF THE FLIGHT THE PILOT OVERFLEW AT LEAST 3 SUITABLE ALTERNATE AIRPORTS. FOLLOWING THE ENGINE FAILURE, THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO STALL AND IT SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND IN STEEP NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LEADING ATTITUDE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.