Piper PA24 accident near Brunswick, Georgia, June 29, 2019
On June 29, 2019 at about 6:55 pm local time, a 1963 Piper PA24, registered N8294P, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Brunswick, Georgia. 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 properly lean the fuel mixture in flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a subsequent total loss of engine power, and a forced landing with the landing gear retracted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2019 · about 6:55 pm local time
- Place
- Brunswick, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA24 250, built 1963 · all PA24s on the register
- Registration
- N8294P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3547
- 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 the flight, he forgot to lean the fuel mixture, which led to the airplane burning about 20 gallons per hour (gph) rather than the 15 gph he had used during his flight planning. The pilot decided to land and refuel at the next airport, but the engine lost power. He tried to restart the engine to no avail and then landed in a marsh with the landing gear retracted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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 maneuvering defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy terrain › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 189 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 68 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 24, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,249.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1B5 (piston); 4,346 hours total
- Operator: Claene Corp
The flight
- Departed from: LL22 Downers Grove IL at 12:50 pm
- Destination: SSI St Simons Island GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KBQK, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 7, 2019. 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 | Photo | 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.