Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, August 29, 1989
On August 29, 1989 at about 2:04 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N7593J, was destroyed in an accident near Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, HIS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCEDURES FOR OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT, HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SELECTOR IN MANAGING HIS FUEL SUPPLY, FUEL STARVATION, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO KNOW AND FOLLOW THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: INADEQUATE TRANSITION TRAINING PROVIDED BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT, THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, THE DARK NIGHT, AND THE TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1989 · about 2:04 am local time
- Place
- Pauls Valley, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7593J · no longer on the register · serial 28R-30989
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD BEEN REFUELED AT A NRBY ARPT BEFORE THIS PLT STARTED HIS FLT. HE TOOK OFF & FLEW THE ACFT FROM OKLAHOMA CITY TO TISHOMINGO, OK, WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR PSND TO THE RIGHT TANK (THE TANK THAT WAS LAST USED BY THE PREVIOUS PLT).ON THE RTRN FLT TO OKLAHOMA CITY AT NIGHT, THE PLT'S FATHER NOTICED THE RIGHT GAGE INDCD EMPTY WHILE THE LEFT INDCD FULL. PLT COULD NOT FIND THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE & REQUESTED HELP FROM ARTCC. BEFORE THEY COULD HELP HIM, THE ENG LOST POWER. THERE HAPPENED TO BE A PLT AT ARTCC, WHO WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE PA-28. BY THE TIME HE WAS FOUND & INFO WAS PASSED TO THE PLT OF N7593J, THE ACFT HAD NRLY DSCNDD TO THE GROUND. AS THE PLT WAS REACHING FOR THE FUEL SELECTOR, THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED. LATER, THE PLT SAID HE HAD NEVER OPERD THE LANDING GEAR OR FUEL SELECTOR DRG HIS CHECKOUT IN THE AIRCRAFT. HE THOUGHT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE FLOOR, BETWEEN THE SEATS, BUT IT WAS LOCATED ON THE LEFT WALL OF THE COCKPIT, NEAR THE PLT'S LEFT KNEE. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND PSND TO THE EMPTY RIGHT TANK.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 83 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 41 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,289 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 27, 1989; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Business Aircraft Limited
The flight
- Departed from: OF9 Tishomingo OK at 1:45 am
- Destination: PWA Oklahoma City OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 am from ADM, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.