Cessna 401A accident near Wichita Falls, Texas, September 14, 1987
On September 14, 1987 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 401A, registered N6249Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wichita Falls, Texas (Wichita Falls airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 1987 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita Falls, Texas · Wichita Falls · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 401A · all 401As on the register
- Registration
- N6249Q · registry record · serial 401A0049
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE QUIT AFTER LANDING AT THE WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS AIRPORT. A WITNESS STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES WHEN THE RIGHT WING EXPLODED DURING THE LAST ATTEMPTED ENGINE RESTART. DAMAGE WAS CONCENTRATED IN THE RIGHT WING BETWEEN THE ENGINE NACELLE AND THE MAIN FUEL TANK. THERE WAS NO FIRE ASSOCIATED WITH THE EXPLOSION. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THAT THE EXPLOSION ORIGINATED AT THE ENGINE AREA AND HAD EMANATED FROM WITHIN THE WING. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE HAD TAKEN OFF ON THE MAIN FUEL TANKS AND THEN SWITCHED TO THE AUX TANKS DURING THE FLIGHT. BEFORE LANDING, HE HAD SWITCHED BACK TO THE MAIN TANKS. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR AT THE SCENE, THE MAIN FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND 'OVERFILLED BEYOND THE FILLER OPENINGS.' THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK REQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL OPERATING TIME ON MAIN TANKS PRIOR TO SWITCHING TO AUX TANKS. THE OVERFLOW FROM ENGINES RETURNS TO THE MAIN TANKS ONLY.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,730 hours in all; 44 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,860 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 24, 1986; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAL Dallas TX at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from SPS, 2 miles away
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.