Piper PA 28-140 accident near Muskogee, Oklahoma, May 13, 2017
On May 13, 2017 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1967 Piper PA 28-140, registered N3976K, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Muskogee, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight fuel management, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 2017 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Muskogee, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-140 140, built 1967 · all PA 28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N3976K · no longer on the register · serial 28-23862
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was conducting a local area flight when the airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power. The pilot stated that he applied carburetor heat, switched fuel tanks (from left to right), activated the electric fuel pump, and verified magneto operation; however, despite his corrective actions, the engine continued to operate at 500 rpm. He chose to make a forced landing on a nearby highway. The pilot reported that, shortly before the landing flare, the left wing struck a road sign, and the airplane swerved left into the grass median. A postaccident examination revealed that the left wing fuel tank did not contain any usable fuel; less than 1 quart of fuel was drained from the tank. A visual inspection of the left wing fuel tank revealed that it was intact and appeared undamaged. Further, there was no evidence of a fuel leak from either wing tank. The fuel selector was found positioned to draw fuel from the right fuel tank, which contained about 10 gallons of fuel. The fuel samples collected from each wing tank did not contain any water or particulates. The fuel supply line located between the engine-driven fuel pump and the carburetor did not contain any fuel, and the carburetor bowl contained residual fuel. The electric fuel pump functioned normally when tested after the accident. The partial loss of engine power was due to the pilot's improper in-flight fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation to the engine after all of the usable fuel in the left wing tank had been consumed.
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
- Fuel starvation during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 906 hours in all; 80 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,999.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 2017; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 3,999 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKO Muskogee OK at 7:40 pm
- Destination: MKO Muskogee OK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from MKO, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 30, 2017. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Conversation with FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Weather Reports | 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.