Piper PA-32-300 accident near Eufaula, Oklahoma, April 26, 1989
On April 26, 1989 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N8654N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eufaula, Oklahoma. 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE FUEL SELECTOR, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION, AND HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOWED THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: ROUGH TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1989 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Eufaula, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N8654N · no longer on the register · serial 32-7240004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THE ACFT WAS FULLY SVCD WITH FUEL BEFORE HE DEPARTED ON A X-COUNTRY FLT FM ARLINGTON, TX, TO BENTONVILLE, AR. WHILE CRUISING AT 8500' ON THE RTRN FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT RPRTD THAT HE TURNED THE EMERGENCY FUEL PUMP ON & SWITCHED TANKS, THEN TURNED THE PUMP OFF; THE ENG DID NOT RESTART, SUBSEQUENTLY, AN EMERGENCY LANDING MAS MADE ON ROUGH TERRAIN (ABOUT 3 MI FM THE ARPT) & THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE LEFT MAIN TANK. THE LEFT WING WAS DAMAGED DURING THE LANDING & AN ESTIMATED 35 GAL OF FUEL DRAINED FROM THE LEFT TANKS. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK(S). DURING A POST ACDNT CHECK, THE ENG OPERATED NORMALLY WITH ONLY MINOR REPAIR.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 850 hours in all; 603 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 722 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,801 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 28, 1988; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: H00 Bentonville AR at 9:50 pm
- Destination: F54 Arlington TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from MLC, 21 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.
Other NTSB records under N8654N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.