Piper PA-32-260 accident near Guymon, Oklahoma, February 16, 1991
On February 16, 1991, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3549W, was destroyed in an accident near Guymon, Oklahoma (Guymon Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE PILOT'S DELAY IN FLARING THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR WAS: THE PILOT'S TOTAL LACK OF EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1991 · cases in 1991
- Place
- Guymon, Oklahoma · Guymon Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3549W · registry record · serial 32-436
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 55 HOUR STUDENT PILOT PREFLIGHTED THE AIRPLANE AND NOTED FUEL IN BOTH TANKS, THE RIGHT TANK CONTAINING '15 TO 16 GALLONS.' HE TOOK OFF TO PRACTICE DOWNWIND LEG, THE ENGINE 'COUGHED' AND LOST POWER. THE PILOT SAID HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE RIGHT TANK TO THE LEFT TANK. THE ENGINE REGAINED POWER MOMENTARILY, THEN QUIT AGAIN. THE PILOT DID NOT RECALL THE IMPACT, BUT WITNESSES SAID THE AIRPLANE NOSED INTO THE GROUND. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION DISCLOSED 'A MEASURABLE AMOUNT OF FUEL' IN BOTH TANKS, BUT NO FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL OR FUEL PUMP.
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: student
- Flight time: 55 hours in all; 55 in this make and model
- 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: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,299 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 12°F (-11°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 N3549W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N3549W on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six, Lance and Saratoga 3,916 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,848 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 21 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Guymon Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Oklahoma 1,299 since 1982 · 180 in the last ten years
- Oklahoma 5,643 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N3549W 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DEN91LA045.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.