Piper PA-34-220T accident near Burnet, Texas, July 12, 2003
On July 12, 2003, a Piper PA-34-220T, registered N2463M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burnet, 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 properly manage the airplane's fuel supply which led to the total loss of engine power, due to fuel starvation. A factor contributing to the accident was the presence of trees in the landing area used by the pilot to perform the emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2003
- Place
- Burnet, 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
- N2463M · no longer on the register · serial 34-8333104
- 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 he visually checked the fuel on the morning of the accident and noted that the left and right fuel tanks had about 55 gallons of fuel in each. He then flew about 1.5 hours and landed at an airport. When he departed from that airport to fly back to the origination point, he did not visually check the fuel prior to the flight. During the return flight he noticed that the fuel quantity gauge for the left fuel tank was "dropping at an excessive rate." As a precaution, he diverted to a nearby airport. At approximately 4,000 feet, both engines sputtered and subsequently lost power within a few seconds of each other. Realizing he could not make the airport, the pilot performed an off field landing into trees. At the time of the power loss, he remembered the right tank was indicating about 20 gallons, and the left tank was indicating about 10 gallons. No fire, defoliation of vegetation, or a significant amount of liquid fuel was noted at the accident site; however, a small amount of residual fuel, and an odor of fuel was noted. Due to the compromised fuel system that resulted from impact forces, the presence of fuel on board at the time of the accident could not be positively ascertained. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunction with the engines, fuel strainers, or fuel selector valves. The right fuel selector valve was found between the OFF and X-FEED positions. The left fuel selector valve was found half way between the OFF and LEFT position; however, impact damage could have altered the position of the valves. Near simultaneous power loss can occur as a result of fuel exhaustion of both wing tanks while the fuel selector valves are in the normal position (each tank feeding each engine), or fuel exhaustion of one of the two fuel tanks while the fuel selector valves are on cross feed to both engines from the empty tank.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,440 hours in all; 143 in this make and model; 292 in the last 90 days; 110 in the last 30 days; 3,305 as pilot in command; 1,181 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 27, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 2002
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-360-KB (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental LTSIO-360-KB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADS Dallas TX at 11:30 pm
- Destination: T04 Georgetown TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from BMQ
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.