Piper PA-28-180 accident near Bonham, Texas, March 14, 2003
On March 14, 2003 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N5264L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bonham, Texas. 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
The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as result of the unapproved fuel selector valve handle installed on the aircraft by an unknown person. 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
- March 14, 2003 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bonham, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5264L · no longer on the register · serial 28-4562
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was painted at a maintenance facility prior to being delivered to its new owner. A private pilot was contacted by the maintenance facility to ferry the airplane. The 90-hour pilot reported that she flew on the right tank for the first 30 minutes of the flight, changing the fuel selector every hour thereafter. The pilot added that to switch the fuel selector, she had to move her left leg and look at the fuel selector every time she switched tanks since she was unable to feel the detent to make sure the selector was in the proper position. About 10 minutes after leveling-off at 3,000 feet, while 25-nautical miles from her next refueling stop, the pilot reported a rough running engine, followed by a complete loss of engine power. The airplane was too low to make the field and the airplane collided with matured trees just short of the selected field. The engine was removed from the airframe and after installing a test propeller, the engine was successfully ran to 2,400 RPMs. Further examination of the fuel system revealed that the fuel selector placard (Piper P/N 63832) was the correct type for this airplane; however, the pointer (handle) was not the correct type for this model aircraft. The installed pointer(handle) was to be used on later models of the airplane (s/n 28-7105001 and up). The installed pointer (handle) was found to have the fuel valve shaft indexed differently than the correct pointer (Piper P/N 63949) for this model, and the pointer would not properly align with the placard. An unknown installer appeared to have re-drilled the holes in the placard and cocked it about 45 degrees so the pointer would align with the placard and the detents in the valve.
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
- Flight time: 89 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 31, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,514.8 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 19, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming L-11959-36A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEI Meridian MS at 5:30 pm
- Destination: F39 Sherman TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from PRX
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.