Beech E 33 accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma, September 9, 1990
On September 9, 1990 at about 7:22 pm local time, a Beech E 33, registered N7155N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SELECT THE RIGHT TANK PRIOR TO THE APPROACH RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1990 · about 7:22 pm local time
- Place
- Tulsa, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E 33 · all E 33s on the register
- Registration
- N7155N · registry record · serial CD1143
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT ACCEPTED A VISUAL APPROACH TO LANDING. ON SHORT FINAL, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT SAID HE SELECTED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK, ENGAGED THE BOOST PUMP AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, TO NO AVAIL. THE PLANE STRUCK TREES ONE HALF MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS DRIVEN BACK INTO THE CABIN AREA, THE RIGHT WING WAS TORN OFF, AND THE LEFT WING WAS BENT BACK. THE PILOT SAID HE SHOULD HAVE SELECTED THE FULLEST TANK PRIOR TO BEGINNING HIS LANDING APPROACH. A POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION SHOWED NO FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK, TRACES IN THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM, SOME EVIDENCE OF A SMALL FUEL SPILL FROM THE RIGHT TANK, AND ONE GALLON REMAINING IN THE RIGHT TANK. A SUCCESSFUL POSTACCIDENT ENGINE RUN WAS PERFORMED.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 467 hours in all; 280 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 374 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AUS Austin TX at 4:06 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Observation at 7:41 pm from TUL, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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 N7155N 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.