North American T28C accident near Fredericksburg, Texas, February 21, 2002
On February 21, 2002 at about 7:00 pm local time, a North American T28C, registered N71546, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fredericksburg, Texas (Fredericksburg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot to refuel the airplane resulting in fuel exhaustion. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 2002 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fredericksburg, Texas · Fredericksburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American T28C · all T28Cs on the register
- Registration
- N71546 · no longer on the register · serial 140528
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that prior to a day cross-country flight, the airplane was topped with 155 gallons of fuel, and subsequently, flown for 1 hour 25 minutes to the next destination. The airplane was not fueled at that destination, and the flight departed for the subsequent destination. During the descent, the engine lost total power approximately 4 nautical miles east of the destination airport. The pilot landed the airplane in a rough field. The FAA inspector, who responded to the site, drained approximately 12 ounces of fuel from the airplane. The integrity of the fuel system was not compromised.
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: 1,315 hours in all; 264 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,227 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,799.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 20, 2002; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming (Curtis-Wright) R1820-103A86A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 14R Caldwell TX at 6:20 pm
- Destination: T82 Fredericksburg TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.