Piper PA-28R-200 N4726R

Summary

On 8 November 1998 at about 01:00 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N4726R, operated by MVP Aero Academy, Inc., was involved in an accident near Conroe, Texas, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 November 1998 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Conroe, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Montgomery County Airport (CXO)

Coordinates

30.3793, -95.3794

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-200

Registration

N4726R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

MVP Aero Academy, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Searcy → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW99FA021

3 people died.

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Factors were the dark night light conditions prevailing for the ensuing forced landing and the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model of airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a dark night forced landing, following a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, the airplane collided with terrain. On the flight plan for the flight from Searcy, AR, to Waco (ACT), TX, the airline transport pilot estimated 3 hrs 10 min flight time and 4 hrs fuel available. At 2 hrs 33 min into the flight, the pilot amended his destination to Conroe (CXO), TX, after receiving reports of instrument weather conditions at ACT and visual conditions at CXO. At 4 hrs 12 min into the flight, the pilot received clearance for an instrument approach to runway 14 at CXO. The pilot's acknowledgement of the clearance was the last radio communication received from the airplane. At 4 hrs 20 min into the flight, the last radar return showed the airplane 4 miles west-northwest of CXO. A witness observed the airplane fly over a road at a low altitude as though 'trying to land,' collide with a tree, hit a power line, and impact the ground. No discolored vegetation or fuel odor was noted at the accident site. One of the two fuel tanks was intact and contained 6 ounces of fuel. Including the accident flight and a 0.8-hr checkout flight, the 25,000-hr pilot had 8.6 hrs flight time in the accident airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.