Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Garnett, Kansas, December 13, 1996
On December 13, 1996 at about 11:30 am local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N31SW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Garnett, Kansas (Garnett Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision, including a delay in proceeding to an alternate airport after encountering fog during a night approach, which resulted in loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 1996 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Garnett, Kansas · Garnett Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N31SW · registry record · serial 32R-7680311
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had started working for the company four days before the accident. He said he had checked the Kansas City weather before he departed Oklahoma City, and expected it to be clear. However, when he arrived at Kansas City, fog had developed. The pilot flew three ILS approaches, but was unable to land due to the fog. He returned to VFR conditions near Garnett Municipal Airport. The pilot reported that as he approached the airport, one fuel tank ran dry. He switched fuel tanks. When he saw the airport, he was too close to make a landing, so he did a 360 degree turn to line up with the runway. However, the aircraft ran out of fuel, and the pilot made a forced landing into a field about 1/2 mile short of the runway. The landing gear was damaged during the landing. The aircraft was examined and no fuel was found in the tanks. The pilot reported that he was not tired or fatigued.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,850 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,682 as pilot in command; 1,080 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,569 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 22, 1996; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OKC Oklahoma City OK at 8:45 am
- Destination: MKC Kansas City MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 1, 2,400 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N31SW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.