Piper PA-28-151 accident near Abilene, Texas, June 21, 1996
On June 21, 1996 at about 1:01 am local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N40954, was substantially damaged in an accident near Abilene, 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 mismanagement by the pilot, which resulted in fuel starvation; and the pilot's failure to reposition the fuel selector (follow emergency procedure) while attempting to restart the engine. A factor relating to aircraft damage was: concrete debris (rocks) in the emergency landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1996 · about 1:01 am local time
- Place
- Abilene, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N40954 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7415119
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was flying with the fuel selector in the 'Left Tank' position, when the engine lost power. Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful, and the airplane was landed at an abandoned airport. During the landing, the left main gear struck a pile of concrete debris, and subsequently, the left wing separated from the fuselage. Inspection of the airplane revealed that the left fuel tank contained less than 1 gallon of fuel, and the right fuel tank contained approximately 16 gallons of fuel. The fuel line from the left tank to the fuselage had been compromised during the accident; however, there was no evidence of spilled fuel. With the fuel selector in the 'Right Tank' position, the engine was started, and it ran normally.
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: 109 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,220 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 23, 1996; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6F4 TX at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 104°F (40°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.