Piper PA-24-250 accident near Wichita, Kansas, December 17, 1997
On December 17, 1997, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N6377L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wichita, Kansas (Jabara airport). It was a personal 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
the pilot-in-command misjudged the fuel supply and selected an empty fuel tank which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor associated with the accident was the rough terrain encountered when the airplane touched down short of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 1997
- Place
- Wichita, Kansas · Jabara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6377L · no longer on the register · serial 24-3548
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot checked the right wing fuel tanks and reported there was fuel in them. The CFI checked the left tanks and reported the tip tank was full and the main tank was down about 1 1/2 inches. After a half hour local flight, one touch and go, and one go-around the commercial pilot switched from the left main tank to the right main tank while on downwind. The CFI then noticed a zero fuel indication and was switching to another tank when a loss of engine power occurred. The CFI switched back to the left main tank and power was restored as the airplane contacted the terrain short of the runway. Inspection of the airplane revealed the right main fuel tank was empty.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 447 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 355 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,878 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 14, 1997; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3KM at 11:30 pm
- Destination: 3KM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,100 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from 3KM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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.