Piper PA-25-235 accident near Muskogee, Oklahoma, September 26, 2024
On September 26, 2024 at about 6:23 pm local time, a 1962 Piper PA-25-235, registered N6548Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Muskogee, Oklahoma. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inattention to refueling during turn-around operations which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2024 · about 6:23 pm local time
- Place
- Muskogee, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235, built 1962 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N6548Z · registry record · serial 25-2090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was returning from his third aerial application flight of the day when the engine sputtered and lost all power. While attempting to land, the left wing collided with trees and the airplane cartwheeled. The wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel tank contained no fuel. The fuel system was intact, and no leaks were noted. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He reported that he reloaded chemicals and but forgot to refuel the airplane. He stated he spent about 10 minutes on the ground before the accident flight and that he could have slowed down and given more attention to refueling.
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 exhaustion during enroute defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach
- Aircraft servicing event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 895 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 841 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 17, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,102.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 18, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming B2B5-C-AID5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Webber Falls OK at 5:10 pm
- Destination: Webber Falls OK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMKO 260553Z AUTO 32005KT 6SM BR CLR 16/14 A2999
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 2, 2024. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN24LA370.