Piper PA-28-140 accident near Grand Prairie, Texas, August 29, 1993
On August 29, 1993 at about 2:39 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N471FT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Prairie, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FUEL EXHAUSTION INDUCED POWER LOSS, THE PILOT'S MISCALCULATION OF THE AMOUNT OF FUEL REQUIRED FOR THE FLIGHT, AND HIS FAILURE TO REFUEL. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN ONTO WHICH A FORCED LANDING COULD BE EXECUTED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1993 · about 2:39 am local time
- Place
- Grand Prairie, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N471FT · no longer on the register · serial 28-7325616
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NOT REFUELED THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO THE FINAL LEG OF A CROSS COUNTRY AND HAD MISJUDGED THE AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO REACH HIS DESTINATION. EN ROUTE THERE WAS A POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND THE PILOT INITIATED A NIGHT FORCED LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH WIRES AND TREES BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND.
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: 148 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,286 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEP Stephenville TX at 1:15 am
- Destination: ADS Addison TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from NBE, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.