Piper PA-30B accident near Mcalester, Oklahoma, May 28, 1999
On May 28, 1999 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-30B, registered N7991Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcalester, Oklahoma (Mcalester Regional airport). 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
The pilot inadvertently stalling the airplane while attempting to avoid power lines. Factors were the loss of power on both the left and right engines as a result of water contamination in the fuel system, the pilot's inadequate preflight procedures, and 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
- May 28, 1999 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mcalester, Oklahoma · Mcalester Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30B · all PA-30Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7991Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-1095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff, the airplane's left engine experienced a loss of power followed soon thereafter by a partial loss of power of the right engine. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and made a forced landing in a field. The pilot added that he 'had to climb over power lines [and] stalled [the] aircraft.' The pilot stated that he had refueled the airplane with 90 gallons of fuel prior to his departure. He added that he had visually checked the fuel level prior to the departure; however, he did not sump the fuel tanks. Fuel samples that were taken from the airplane's left and right main fuel tanks contained a fluid on the bottom of each sample, which resembled water. A fuel sample taken from the refueling truck revealed no evidence of water contamination.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 717 hours in all; 450 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,495 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLC at 9:30 pm
- Destination: OKC Oklahoma City OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from MLC, 2 miles away
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.