Beech A36 accident near Wallisville, Texas, January 26, 1995
On January 26, 1995 at about 3:40 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N7250U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wallisville, Texas. It was a business 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
FUEL STARVATION DUE TO IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND A 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
- January 26, 1995 · about 3:40 am local time
- Place
- Wallisville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N7250U · no longer on the register · serial E2276
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE FROM DESTIN, FL, TO HOUSTON, TX, THE PASSENGER NOTED THAT THE PILOT PERIODICALLY SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. ALSO, HE NOTED BEEPING SOUNDS THAT STOPPED AFTER THE AUTOPILOT WAS TURNED OFF AND THE AUTOMATIC (PITCH) TRIM CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS PULLED. DURING DARKNESS, AS THE FLIGHT APPROACHED ANAHUAC, TX, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT RESTARTED THE ENGINE, BUT SECONDS LATER, IT LOST POWER AGAIN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CAME TO REST PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN WATER. THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED BETWEEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT TANK. ENGINE TEST RUNS WERE SUCCESSFUL. A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD SHOWED 0.583 MCG/ML FLUOXETINE (PROZAC) AND 0.254 MCG/ML NORFLUOXETINE (METABOLITE OF FLUOXETINE). A TEST OF HIS URINE SHOWED 0.344 MCG/ML FLUOXETINE AND 0.195 MCG/ML NORFLUOXETINE. THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG, PROZAC, IS AN ANTIDEPRESSANT AND IS NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 341 hours in all; 152 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 286 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 910 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 1994; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 81J Destin FL
- Destination: IWS Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from HOU, 35 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.
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.