FTW87LA221

Factual narrative

THE PILOT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY OR MENTION TO THE TOWER CONTROLLER THAT HIS FUEL WAS LOW. HE WAS FIRST TOLD TO ENTER RIGHT TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 17R BUT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOLD TO ENTER RIGHT TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 26. (THIS WAS TO ALLOW A DEA AIRCRAFT, AT ITS PILOT'S REQUEST, TO LAND BEFORE THE CESSNA 340A AIRCRAFT. DEA AIRCRAFT REPORTEDLY HAD BEEN TRAILING THE CESSNA SINCE IT CROSSED THE BORDER FROM MEXICO INTO THE UNITED STATES). SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE CESSNA PILOT INFORMED THE LUBBOCK CONTROL TOWER THAT HE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 17. THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION AND IMPACTED IN A COTTON FIELD ABOUT TWO MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT BEFORE THE LANDING COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REPORTEDLY REVEALED THAT ILLEGAL CARGO WAS ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12