Piper PA-34-200T accident near Wharton, Texas, January 28, 1999
On January 28, 1999 at about 3:02 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N8729E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wharton, Texas (Wharton Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to comply with the manufacturer's single engine landing checklist which resulted in the aircraft landing short of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1999 · about 3:02 am local time
- Place
- Wharton, Texas · Wharton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8729E · no longer on the register · serial 7670170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported a partial power loss to the right engine that 'could be...fuel starvation' during an IFR cross-country flight. During the visual approach to an alternate airport, the aircraft impacted trees short of the runway. The right auxiliary fuel pump switch was found on HI, the right fuel selector OFF, & the left fuel selector on X-FEED. Flaps & landing gear were extended. The right propeller was not feathered. The pilot reported the right engine experienced a 'mechanical fuel pump and/or aneroid' failure. The right auxiliary fuel pump was tested and found to pump fluid. Damage to the engine driven (mechanical) pump precluded testing. The engine driven fuel pump failure checklist states that the lack of fuel flow indication while on the HI auxiliary fuel pump position could indicate fuel exhaustion. The single-engine landing checklist calls for landing gear & flap extension when certain of making the airport. The checklist also calls for feathering the propeller of the inoperative engine.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,485 hours in all; 423 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 2,417 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,987 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 1998; 169 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BRO Brownsville TX at 1:42 am
- Destination: 5R5 TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 5,002 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:22 am from HOU, 52 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 4 |
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.