Piper PA-32-260 accident near Flint, Michigan, May 29, 2021
On May 29, 2021 at about 1:15 pm local time, a 1967 Piper PA-32-260, registered N3992W, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Flint, Michigan (Bishop Intl airport). 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 failure to adequately monitor his fuel quantity during flight 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 29, 2021 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Flint, Michigan · Bishop Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260, built 1967 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3992W · no longer on the register · serial 32-935
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, before the flight, he set a 30-minute fuel management timer to remind him to switch fuel tanks. The pilot took off and conducted flight maneuvers; he then returned to the airport to practice touch-and-go landings. The alarm from his fuel management timer activated while on short final for the first landing; however, he forgot to switch fuel tanks. During the initial climb after the fourth touch-and-go landing, the engine sputtered and lost power. The pilot attempted to land on a nearby taxiway that paralleled the runway; however, the pilot overshot the taxiway. As the pilot turned the airplane back towards the taxiway, he held too much back pressure on the yoke in order to remain airborne and stalled the airplane, about 15 ft above ground level. The airplane impacted the ground and came to rest on the taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe and engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot additionally stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had immediately switched to the other fuel tank when his fuel management timer alarm activated.
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 related during enroute
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Landing area overshoot during landing
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 331 hours in all; 177 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 284 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 11, 2019
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,967 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming Engines 0-540-E4B5 (piston); 2,335 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09/2, 7,201 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 am from KFNT
Weather report (METAR): KFNT 291253Z 04012KT 10SM CLR 10/00 A3018 RMK AO2 SLP225 T01000000
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 27, 2021. 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 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | 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.