Piper PA-34-220T accident near Laredo, Texas, June 27, 1999
On June 27, 1999 at about 9:28 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-220T, registered N8329M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laredo, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to refuel, which resulted in a total 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
- June 27, 1999 · about 9:28 pm local time
- Place
- Laredo, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-220T · all PA-34-220Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8329M · no longer on the register · serial 34-8133009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During descent for landing, the twin-engine airplane lost power in both engines due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot reported that during his preflight inspection, the fuel gauges were reading a little over 30 gallons on the left and about 35 gallons on the right. When the flight neared its destination, the pilot started a descent for landing. As he 'pitched' the nose down, the left gauge went to zero. A few minutes later, the right gauge went from about 20 gallons to zero, and a few seconds later, the right engine lost power, followed by the left engine. A forced landing was initiated to a nearby road; however, after observing traffic on the road, the pilot elected to land in the grass area next to the road. After touchdown, the right wing impacted a metal fence post, and the aircraft came to rest nose down in a ditch. Examination of the fuel system by an FAA inspector revealed no usable fuel in the left fuel tank, and the right fuel tank was destroyed. There was no evidence of fuel spillage at the accident site. The pilot reported that he could have prevented this accident by adding an 'extra 10 gallons' of fuel.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,722 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 185 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 1,640 as pilot in command; 862 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,310 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 26, 1999; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-KB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAT San Antonio TX at 8:35 pm
- Destination: LRD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.