Piper PA-30 accident near Enterprise, Alabama, April 26, 2026
On April 26, 2026 at about 4:59 pm local time, a 1967 Piper PA-30, registered N8432Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Enterprise, Alabama (Enterprise Muni airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate preflight and inflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and subsequent forced landing into trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2026 · about 4:59 pm local time
- Place
- Enterprise, Alabama · Enterprise Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 NO SERIES, built 1967 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N8432Y · registry record · serial 30-1591
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight in the multiengine airplane was to build proficiency and to take an acquaintance, who was not a pilot, on a familiarization flight. The pilot described that before departing the airplane had 22 gallons of fuel in the main fuel tanks, and 15 gallons of fuel in the auxiliary fuel tanks, and that the entire flight was conducted utilizing the main fuel tanks. The pilot flew over a practice area for 20 minutes and then returned to the departure airport where he performed two uneventful touch-and-go landings. The pilot added that he miscalculated the fuel consumption rate and thought about 15 minutes of fuel remained for the third landing, which would have been full-stop. He further stated that while turning from the downwind to the base leg of the airport traffic pattern for the third landing, both engines lost total power. The pilot turned toward the runway and attempted to restart one of the engines; however, the attempt was unsuccessful and the airplane impacted trees about ½-mile short of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Fuel starvation during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; instrument: powered-lift; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter; rotorcraft: powered-lift
- Flight time: 4,722 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 3,562 as pilot in command; 1,331 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 30, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,942 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 2025; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 2,390 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 2,390 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05/2, 5,080 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 29,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm from SXS, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSXS 261655Z AUTO 32007KT 10SM FEW039 SCT050 SCT190 BKN290 BKN330 28/17 A2991 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W SLP127 T02770169
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA190.