Piper PA-30 accident near Hillsboro, Texas, October 26, 1992
On October 26, 1992 at about 1:20 am local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7629Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hillsboro, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN AVAILABLE FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 1992 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Hillsboro, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7629Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-705
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PRIVATE PILOT ON A 536 NAUTICAL MILES CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FLEW FOR FOUR HOURS AND TWELVE MINUTES BEFORE RUNNING OUT OF FUEL ON THE RETURN LEG OF HIS FLIGHT. HE HAD TAKEN OFF WITH 84 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND DID NOT REFUEL AT HIS OVERNIGHT STOP. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING NEXT TO AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, BOTH MAIN LANDING GEARS COLLAPSED AND THE LEFT WING IMPACTED A UTILITY POLE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 232 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 158 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 5, 1992; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sun Belt Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: HOT Hot Springs AR at 11:20 pm
- Destination: F60 Mcgregor TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.