Piper PA-23-160 accident near Manvel, Texas, November 15, 2024
On November 15, 2024 at about 10:39 pm local time, a 1959 Piper PA-23-160, registered N4143P, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Manvel, Texas (Wolfe Air Park airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of left engine power during the initial climb due to restricted fuel flow as a result of a binding fuel control cable.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2024 · about 10:39 pm local time
- Place
- Manvel, Texas · Wolfe Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160, built 1959 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N4143P · registry record · serial 23-1624
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilots stated that the airplane had flown multiple flights on the day of the accident with no issues reported. They completed a preflight inspection and an engine runup before departing on the accident flight. During the initial climb, about 100 ft above ground level (agl), the left engine lost total power. Unable to maintain altitude, they maneuvered for a forced landing in a pasture off the left side of the runway. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed. The pilots secured the airplane and egressed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed that the left fuel selector lever was difficult to move from the Off position to either the Auxiliary or Main positions. When the lever was moved full forward from the Off position to the Main position, there was significant resistance to the movement. If the lever was released, it would spring back toward the Off position with notable force. The left engine fuel control cable between the fuel control support arm and the fuel shutoff valves exhibited binding and was slow to actuate. With this control cable disconnected and the fuel selector On, an engine functional test run was completed with no anomalies noted. Additionally, review of the engine data indicated a sudden reduction in fuel flow to the left engine shortly before the end of the data. Accordingly, the binding fuel control cable likely allowed the fuel selector valve to remain in an intermediate position that restricted fuel flow to the left engine, which resulted in the 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
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,120 hours in all; 12.8 in this make and model; 270 in the last 90 days; 83 in the last 30 days; 16,500 as pilot in command; 11,040 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 10, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 990 hours in all; 10.9 in this make and model; 320 in the last 90 days; 110 in the last 30 days; 830.9 as pilot in command; 499 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 13, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,215.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 2: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 2,040 hours total
- Engine 3: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 2,046 hours total
- Operator: Sparrowhawk Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02/2, 2,910 ft by 80 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from KAXH, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KAXH 152235Z AUTO 12004KT 10SM CLR 22/09 A3000 RMK AO2 T02200092
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
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.