Piper PA-28-161 accident near Georgetown, Texas, July 10, 2006
On July 10, 2006 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8164J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Georgetown, Texas (Georgetown Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation after the private pilot inadvertently positioned the fuel selector to the OFF position. Contributor factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and the unreliable safety detent button on the fuel selector.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2006 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Georgetown, Texas · Georgetown Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8164J · no longer on the register · serial 28-8216126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 598-hour flight instructor was giving the143-hour private pilot a currency ride in a single-engine airplane, when the engine lost power. The flight instructor reported that while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the private pilot "consciously and vocally" announced that he was performing a "GUMPS" check, which was an abbreviated pre-landing checklist for Gas-Undercarriage-Mixture-Propeller and Switches. The private pilot checked the fuel selector (Gas), and noted that it was set to the full forward position (right tank). He then "twisted" the fuel selector handle to the "full back" position and inadvertently turned it to the OFF position. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power. The private pilot turned the airplane onto final approach, and told the flight instructor that the engine "was not producing power." The flight instructor took control of the airplane, and it subsequently impacted trees and terrain short of the runway. Examination of the fuel selector revealed that it could be turned to the OFF, LEFT and RIGHT positions. When the selector handle was pointed full forward, the RIGHT tank was selected; when the selector handle was pointed straight up, the LEFT tank was selected, and when the selector handle was pointed toward the rear of the airplane (full back) the OFF position was selected. Incorporated on the fuel selector cover (placard) was a safety button that was designed to keep a pilot from unintentionally turning the fuel selector to the OFF position. The pilot would have to physically depress the button so the fuel selector handle could bypass it and be moved into the OFF position. The private pilot stated that he was not aware of this safety feature and that he did not depress the safety button when he moved the fuel selector during the accident flight. According to an FAA inspector, who performed an examination of the airplane, the fuel selector handle was found in the OFF position; however, when he moved the selector handle through its full range of motion, the handle moved freely to the OFF position without having to depress the safety button.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 598 hours in all; 134 in this make and model; 139 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 542 as pilot in command; 346 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 143 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,562 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pilot'S Choice Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KGTU Georgetown TX at 6:40 pm
- Destination: KGTU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from GTU, 1 miles away
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.