Piper PA-31-350 accident near Laredo, Texas, April 21, 1994
On April 21, 1994 at about 1:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N44AC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laredo, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 FUEL EXHAUSTION INDUCED POWER LOSS DUE TO THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT AND HIS FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN 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
- April 21, 1994 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- Laredo, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N44AC · registry record · serial 31-8052147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT ABOUT 5 MILES SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE RIGHT ENGINE LOW FUEL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE AND BOTH SUBSEQUENTLY LOST TOTAL POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING INTO ROUGH BRUSH COVERED TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT CHECK THE TANKS DURING PREFLIGHT, BUT INSTEAD RELIED ON THE GAUGES WHICH HE THOUGHT INDICATED HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 6,880 as pilot in command; 1,400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 7,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAT San Antonio TX at 12:29 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:46 pm from LRD, 5 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.
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.