Piper PA 12 accident near Burnet, Texas, June 22, 2016
On June 22, 2016 at about 9:15 pm local time, a 1946 Piper PA 12, registered N223CG, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Burnet, Texas (Burnet Muni Kate Craddock Fiel airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate fuel levels, which resulted in fuel starvation, a loss of engine power, and a forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to monitor the fuel levels.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2016 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Burnet, Texas · Burnet Muni Kate Craddock Fiel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 12 NO SERIES, built 1946 · all PA 12s on the register
- Registration
- N223CG · registry record · serial 12-2480
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor of the amphibious float-equipped airplane reported that after an instructional lesson, while returning to the airport, the student pilot was too low "while turning base leg" of the traffic pattern so the student pilot moved the throttle forward to add power, but the engine did not respond. The flight instructor further reported that he took control of the airplane and made an off airport landing. During the landing, the airplane impacted a low hanging tree limb. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. A postaccident examination by the Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector revealed that the fuel tanks contained less than one gallon of fuel on board the airplane. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact 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
- Fuel exhaustion during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR pattern base)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,433 hours in all; 196 in this make and model; 115 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 2,279 as pilot in command; 1,409 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 13, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 330 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 207 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 9, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,960.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 27, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,937 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMQ Burnet TX at 7:30 pm
- Destination: BMQ Burnet TX
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KBMQ, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA16CA347.