Piper PA-32-300RT accident near Glenrock, Wyoming, September 6, 1990
On September 6, 1990 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300RT, registered N21434, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glenrock, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION RESULTING FROM THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION. UNSUITABLE TERRAIN WAS A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1990 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Glenrock, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300RT PA-32-300R · all PA-32-300RTs on the register
- Registration
- N21434 · registry record · serial 32-R7887209
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TURNED TO FOLLOW A ROAD AFTER ONE FUEL TANK RAN DRY ON A FLIGHT FROM NEWCASTLE, WY, TO CSPER, WY. WHEN THE SECOND TANK RAN DRY, HE ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING ON THE ROAD. MANEUVERING TO AVOID A PICKUP TRUCK ON THE ROAD, HE MADE A COURSE REVERSAL AND ATTEMPTED TO LINE UP ON THE ROAD HEADED THE OTHER WAY. HE WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN, AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE LANDING ROLL ACROSS THE HIGHWAY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,732 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,608 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ECS Newcastle WY at 10:30 pm
- Destination: CPR Casper WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:52 pm from CPR, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 SEA90LA174.