On July 18, 1991, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N9326T) operated by Steven Bernstein was involved in an aviation accident near Whitharral, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate fuel supply during a night cross-country flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a forced landing with an inoperative landing light that had been detected during preflight. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a night cross-country flight, the aircraft exhausted its fuel supply while flying without visual references on a dark night. The pilots were forced to land with an inoperative landing light that had been detected during preflight.
What happened
The accident occurred during a night cross-country flight when the airplane exhausted fuel on board. The two pilots were flying without visual references on a dark night and were forced to make a landing with the landing light inoperative. The inoperative landing light was detected on the preflight. The airplane struck the ground in a left roll greater than 90 degrees.
The investigation
The investigation revealed that the pilots had been flying without visual references on a dark night and were forced to make a landing with the landing light inoperative. The inoperative landing light was detected on the preflight. The airplane struck the ground in a left roll greater than 90 degrees.
Findings
The investigation revealed that the pilots had been flying without visual references on a dark night and were forced to make a landing with the landing light inoperative. The inoperative landing light was detected on the preflight. The airplane struck the ground in a left roll greater than 90 degrees.
Safety message
The investigation revealed that the pilots had been flying without visual references on a dark night and were forced to make a landing with the landing light inoperative. The inoperative landing light was detected on the preflight. The airplane struck the ground in a left roll greater than 90 degrees.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate fuel supply during a night cross-country flight, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a forced landing with an inoperative landing light that had been detected during preflight.