Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Conroe, Texas, November 8, 1998
On November 8, 1998 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N4726R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Conroe, Texas (Montgomery County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Factors were the dark night light conditions prevailing for the ensuing forced landing and the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model of airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 1998 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Conroe, Texas · Montgomery County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N4726R · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7235172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a dark night forced landing, following a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, the airplane collided with terrain. On the flight plan for the flight from Searcy, AR, to Waco (ACT), TX, the airline transport pilot estimated 3 hrs 10 min flight time and 4 hrs fuel available. At 2 hrs 33 min into the flight, the pilot amended his destination to Conroe (CXO), TX, after receiving reports of instrument weather conditions at ACT and visual conditions at CXO. At 4 hrs 12 min into the flight, the pilot received clearance for an instrument approach to runway 14 at CXO. The pilot's acknowledgement of the clearance was the last radio communication received from the airplane. At 4 hrs 20 min into the flight, the last radar return showed the airplane 4 miles west-northwest of CXO. A witness observed the airplane fly over a road at a low altitude as though 'trying to land,' collide with a tree, hit a power line, and impact the ground. No discolored vegetation or fuel odor was noted at the accident site. One of the two fuel tanks was intact and contained 6 ounces of fuel. Including the accident flight and a 0.8-hr checkout flight, the 25,000-hr pilot had 8.6 hrs flight time in the accident airplane.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 9 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,868 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 20, 1998; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mvp Aero Academy, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: M07 Searcy AR at 8:39 pm
- Destination: CXO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,600 ft; scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:03 am from CXO, 4 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.