Piper PA-31-350 accident near Brownsville, Texas, January 9, 1995
On January 9, 1995 at about 10:22 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N50WT, was destroyed in an accident near Brownsville, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FUEL STARVATION LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S QUALIFICATION AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 1995 · about 10:22 pm local time
- Place
- Brownsville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N50WT · registry record · serial 31-7952018
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN INTERNATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE PRIVATE PILOT, CERTIFICATED SINGLE ENGINE LAND, EXPERIENCED A DUAL ENGINE POWER LOSS AS HE WAS BEING VECTORED TO THE BROWNSVILLE AIRPORT. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR WHO FOUND THAT THERE WAS FUEL IN THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE RIGHT TANK POSITION. THE PILOT HAD REPORTED, PRIOR TO LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, THAT HE HAD LOW FUEL INDICATIONS IN THE RIGHT TANK AND THAT HE NEEDED A VECTOR TO BROWNSVILLE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED IN ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURE AND WINGS, APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 87 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMUN Cancun
- Destination: ELP El Paso TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from BRO, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.