Piper PA 28R-200 accident near Mt. Vernon, Texas, July 10, 2014
On July 10, 2014 at about 12:50 pm local time, a 1969 Piper PA 28R-200, registered N9469N, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Mt. Vernon, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2014 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Vernon, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28R-200, built 1969 · all PA 28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N9469N · no longer on the register · serial 28R-35186
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness reported that the engine was "backfiring" and that it "shut off" as the airplane flew over treetops low to the ground. The pilot made a forced landing, and, during the descent, the airplane collided with trees, continued into a field, and came to rest upright. Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of fuel in the fuel tanks or on the ground near the airplane, and no fuel was found in the fuel lines or the engine-driven fuel pump. The gascolator was half full of fuel; however, if adequate fuel had been available, it is likely that the gascolator would have been full of fuel. Based on the evidence, it is likely that the pilot did not conduct an adequate preflight inspection, which resulted in the airplane departing with insufficient fuel and resulted in a loss of engine power.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,881 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 2013
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 3,822 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mt. Vernon TX at 12:40 pm
- Destination: F51 Winnsboro TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from KOSA, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on October 30, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation - FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Airplane Logbook Entry – Annual Inspection | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 1 - Main Wreckage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo 2 - Gascolator | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.