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FTW89LA027

1988-12-03 · PLANO, Texas, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport F69

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FUEL EXHAUSTION WHICH RESULTED FROM THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO UTILIZE NUMEROUS SUITABLE SOURCES OF FUEL ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT.

Factual narrative

THE PLT WAS ON A MULTIPLE LEG X-COUNTRY FLT & LANDED AT AN ALTERNATE ARPT TO ADD 'A LITTLE EXTRA FUEL.' DUE TO LOCKED PUMPS, FUEL WAS NOT AVAILABLE, SO HE ELECTED TO FLY TO A NEARBY ARPT. HOWEVER, SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ENG LOST POWER. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD, THE NOSE GEAR FAILED & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE PLT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED THE TANKS WERE ABOUT 1/8 FULL, BUT DURING A POST-ACDNT EXAM, ONLY ABOUT 3 CUPS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE TANKS. THE ENG RAN NORMALLY DURING A POST-ACDNT TEST. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1988_FTW89LA027.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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