Piper PA-32-260 accident near Fabens, Texas, December 30, 1998
On December 30, 1998 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N7724J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fabens, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to correctly calculate fuel consumption, which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. 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
- December 30, 1998 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Fabens, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N7724J · no longer on the register · serial 32-1126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 5 hours 13 minutes into a cross-country flight, the airplane's engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. During the ensuing forced landing, the airplane touched down on the up-slope of a sand dune. The pilot reported that he 'inspected all 4 fuel tanks following refueling prior to departure.' The pilot further reported that he performed fuel calculations at about 3 hours into the flight using fuel gauge readings, and 'fuel usage [was] estimated at 12 gph.' The operator reported that the airplane's normal fuel consumption was 15 to 18 gallons per hour, and that the airplane's average fuel consumption for its previous two flights was calculated to be 16.27 gallons per hour. The airplane's four fuel tanks held a total of 84 gallons, of which 80 gallons were useable.
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: 356 hours in all; 53 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,840 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 14, 1998; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-EAB5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DWH Spring TX at 4:52 pm
- Destination: ELP El Paso TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from ELP, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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.