Beech A36 accident near Jasper, Texas, October 6, 2015
On October 6, 2015 at about 7:18 am local time, a 1992 Beech A36, registered N4151Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Jasper, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and ditching the airplane in a lake.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2015 · about 7:18 am local time
- Place
- Jasper, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 UNDESIGNAT, built 1992 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N4151Q · no longer on the register · serial E-2679
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during a night cross county flight, the first airport he landed at did not have fuel. He departed the airport for another airport that did have fuel. While en route, he stated that "the engine spluttered and failed to restart even after switching tanks and trying all emergency check list procedures." The pilot ditched the airplane in a lake; the occupants egressed from the airplane, and swam to shore without further incident. Upon recovery from the lake, the airplane had substantial damage to the fuselage. The assigned Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector reported that when the airplane recovery personnel examined the airplane after the recovery from the lake, only one fuel tank had fuel located inside, approximately one quart. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Ditching during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Water › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 487.2 hours in all; 13.3 in this make and model; 68.3 in the last 90 days; 34.7 in the last 30 days; 418.7 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 3,651 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-550B15B (piston); 725 hours total
- Operator: Pacific Air Center LLC
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 4:00 am
- Destination: JAS Jasper TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 am from KJAS, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on December 3, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.