# Accident 19980926044979A: Piper PA32301T, Marble Falls, TX, September 26, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 26, 1998
- Place: Marble Falls, TX
- Airport: Horseshoe Bay Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.5602° N, 98.2773° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Marble Falls, TX, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5602&lon=-98.2773&mi=10
- Aircraft: N83894, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N83894) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-301T (registry code 7103209, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-301t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32301T
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA415](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA415) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980926044979A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19)ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1998, AT 0944 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-32-301T AIRPLANE, N83894, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB OUT FROM THE HORSESHOE BAY AIRPARK AIRPORT NEAR AUSTIN, TEXAS. THE PRIVATE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, OWNER AND OPERATOR, WAS NOT INJURED.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, FOR WHICH NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE PILOT STATED DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH THE SAFETY BOARD THAT HE FLEW THE AIRPLANE TO THE HORSESHOE BAY  AIRPORT THE NIGHT BEFORE.  UPON LANDING THE NIGHT BEFORE, THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED TWO DEER.  THE PROPELLER WAS "NICKED" AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR FAIRING WAS DAMAGED.  THE NEXT MORNING THE PILOT REMOVED THE LANDING GEAR FAIRINGS FROM THE LANDING GEAR.  THE PILOT PERFORMED A PER-FLIGHT INSPECTION AND NOTED NO DISCREPANCIES.  HE DECIDED TO FLY THE AIRPLANE AROUND THE PATTERN ONE TIME TO VERIFY THAT THE "NICK" IN THE PROPELLER WOULD NOT YIELD ANY VIBRATIONS.  THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ON THE INITIAL CLIMBOUT FORM THE AIRPORT, APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, WHEN HE HEARD A "LOUD THUMP."  A PERSON WHO WAS MONITORING THE UNICOM FREQUENCY ADVISE D THE PILOT THAT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR HAD FALLEN FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRPLANE TO MATHIS FIELD AIRPORT SAN ANGELO, TEXAS.  NO ADITIONAL DAMAGE WAS INCURRED DURING THE LANDING.                         (-23) AIRCRAFT STRUCK DEER UPON LANDING. SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE NOT DISCOVERED BY PIC.  MAIN GEAR DEPARTED AIRCRAFT UPON TAKE-OFF ROLL.  AIRCRAFT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED AT SAN ANGELO, TX (SJT).

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98LA415](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA415), Sep 27, 1998: Piper PA-32-301T (N83894), Austin, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The collision with deer during the landing roll. Factors were the dark night light condition and the separation of the lower strut assembly from the right main landing gear, on the subsequent flight.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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