Beech C90 accident near Lancaster, Texas, April 28, 2025
On April 28, 2025 at about 8:37 pm local time, a 1974 Beech C90, registered N501MS, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Lancaster, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of power to both engines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2025 · about 8:37 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C90, built 1974 · all C90s on the register
- Registration
- N501MS · registry record · serial LJ-626
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The twin-engine airplane departed for the international cross-country flight with 380 gallons of Jet A fuel onboard. No fuel stops were performed during the flight. During the approach to the destination airport, the pilot reported that the right engine instruments began to display a decrease in power, until a total loss of power occurred. Shortly after, the left engine sustained a total loss of power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a flat corn field, located about 19.5 miles southeast of the destination airport. The two controllable pitch propellers were not feathered, and the main landing gear was not extended prior to landing in the field. The airplane came to rest upright in the field. The three occupants were able to egress from the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the left wing, and no evidence of a reported fire was noted with the right engine. During the recovery operation, the airframe fuel system was found intact and there were no visible signs of fuel leakage on the airframe. The airframe can contain up to 384 gallons of usable fuel. For the left side of the airplane, about 1 pint of fuel was recovered from the main fuel tank and about 9 gallons of fuel were recovered from the nacelle fuel tank. For the right side of the airplane, about 2 pints of fuel were recovered from the main fuel tank and no fuel was recovered from the nacelle fuel tank. The pilot did not provide any accident flight fuel planning calculation documents. The airplane was not equipped with a low fuel warning light system, nor was it required to be.
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 approach (IFR final approach) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (IFR final approach)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (IFR final approach)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
- Evacuation during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of procedures › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 764.7 hours in all; 194.6 in this make and model; 77.6 in the last 90 days; 37.6 in the last 30 days; 204.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 20, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 4.3 in the last 90 days; 4.3 in the last 30 days; 135.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 7, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 2024; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,650 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20 (turboprop); 15,621 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20 (turboprop); 13,837 hours total
- Operator: Gm Intercom LLC
The flight
- Departed from: MMSM Zumpango De Ocampo OF at 4:10 pm
- Destination: DAL Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from KLNC, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLNC 282035Z AUTO 17009KT 10SM OVC031 26/21 A2996 RMK AO2 T02550207
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN25LA176.