Piper PA-28RT-201T N83165
7 July 1991 · Sonora, Texas, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 7 July 1991 at about 21:00 local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T registered N83165, operated by Travis N. Hand, was involved in an accident near Sonora, Texas, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Sonora, Texas, United States
- Nearest airport
- Whitehead Ranch (NONE)
- Coordinates
- 30.5698, -100.6400
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201T
- Registration
- N83165
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Travis N. Hand
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Friendswood
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW91LA118
People
2 people had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. FACTORS WERE THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE ROUGH TERRAIN.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF FROM A ROUGH, DOWNHILL AIRSTRIP ON A PRIVATE RANCH WHEN THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A CATTLE FENCE, BUSHES, AND A DIRT EMBANKMENT. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. NUMEROUS GROUND SCRAPE MARKS WERE OBSERVED ON THE GROUND ALONG THE AIRPLANE'S DEPARTURE PATH. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS REPORTED TO BE 5,000 FEET. THE PILOT WAS FLYING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT POSITION WITH HIS SON IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT. THE PILOT STATED, 'AT THE POINT OF GO/NO-GO, WE HAD TO CONTINUE AS WE COULD NOT GET STOPPED IN THAT DISTANCE.' NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND TO ANY AIRPLANE SYSTEM.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-28RT accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Aug 1991 | Piper PA-28RT-201T | Midland, Texas, United States | Stevens Operating Corp. | Fatal | 1 |
| 16 Oct 1991 | Piper PA-28RT-201T | Spring Lake, North Carolina, United States | Carite, Charles | Fatal | 1 |
| 31 Oct 1992 | Piper PA-28RT-201T | Ft. Riley, Kansas, United States | Walker Stone Co., Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 19 Aug 1990 | Piper PA-28RT-201 | Long Beach, California, United States | Benbow Aviation | Fatal | 4 |
| 20 Apr 1990 | Piper PA-28RT-201 | Marshfield, Massachusetts, United States | Shorelines Aviation, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 15 Feb 1990 | Piper PA-28RT-201 | Napa, California, United States | Iasco | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jul 1991 | Beechcraft BE-19 | Mesquite, Texas, United States | ARI BEN Aviator | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jul 1991 | McDonnell Douglas MD-80 | Dfw Airport, Texas, United States | American Airlines | No injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 1991 | Robinson R22 BETA | Wylie, Texas, United States | Heli TEX Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1991 | Cessna 150A | Jewett, Texas, United States | Jack R. Horan | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Aug 1991 | Beechcraft K35 | Laredo, Texas, United States | DAN R. Blaker | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1991 | Cessna 172F | Cumby, Texas, United States | Charles D. Wood | No injuries | - |