Piper PA28-235 accident near Granbury, Texas, April 27, 1990
On April 27, 1990, a Piper PA28-235, registered N9488W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Granbury, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION DUE TO THE PILOT'S DISREGARD FOR THE POSITION OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1990
- Place
- Granbury, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-235 · all PA28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9488W · no longer on the register · serial 28-11228
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE ON A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT AT LOW ALTITUDE WHEN ENGINE POWER WAS LOST. HE ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS AND RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT COLLIDED WITH WIRES AND IMPACTED INTO A FIELD. HE STATED THAT HE RAN A TANK DRY, THUS STARVING THE ENGINE AND WAS FLYING TOO LOW TO GLIDE TO A SUITABLE LANDING AREA.
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: 915 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,556 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 1990; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.