Piper PA-28-140 accident near Bulverde, Texas, August 28, 1990
On August 28, 1990 at about 6:32 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N55234, was destroyed in an accident near Bulverde, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
MISMANAGEMENT OF THE FUEL SUPPLY RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE, THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION, 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 28, 1990 · about 6:32 am local time
- Place
- Bulverde, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N55234 · registry record · serial 28-7325348
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STU PLT AND ONE PAX WERE ON A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLT WHEN A TTL NON-MECHANICAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. THE PLT WAS IN CONTACT WITH ATC AND REQ'D CLEARANCE TO LAND. ATC GRANTED THE REQUEST AND OFFERED INFO ON A CLOSER ARPT. THE PLT INITIALLY REJECTED THE ALTERNATE ARPT AND REQ'D TO CONTINUE INBOUND. ACCORDING TO THE PAX, THE PLT MADE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT COULD NOT DO SO DURING THE FORCED LANDING. AFTER A MINUTE THE PLT REQ'D VECTORS TO THE ALTERNATE ARPT WHICH WERE TRANSMITTED TO HIM. HE ESTABLISHED A 70 MPH GLIDE TOWARD THE ARPT AND CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT A RESTART. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS SEVERAL TIMES AND USED THE PRIMER DURING THESE ATTEMPTS. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED INTO TREES APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE SOUTHWEST OF THE ALTERNATE ARPT. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANKS REVEALED THE RIGHT TANK EMPTY AND THE LEFT TANK ONE QUARTER FULL. THE RIGHT TANK WAS FOUND SELECTED. THE ENGINE WAS SUCCESSFULLY TEST RUN AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 119 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 99 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,368 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1990; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hangar Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: T82 Fredericksburg TX at 6:00 am
- Destination: SAT San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 am from SAT, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N55234 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.