# NTSB CEN26LA164: Piper PA-28-180, N317HM, Corpus Christi, TX, April 14, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: April 13, 2026, 19:19 local (Apr 14, 2026, 00:19 UTC)
- Place: Corpus Christi, TX
- Coordinates: 27.78495, -97.52173
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7849&lon=-97.5217&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202818
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA164
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202818/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA164

## Preliminary report

On April 13, 2026, about 19:19 central daylight time, a Piper Cherokee PA-28-180 airplane, N317HM was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Corpus Christi, Texas. The flight instructor and student pilot were seriously injured. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. ADS-B data revealed that the airplane departed Corpus Christi International Airport (CRP), Corpus Christi, Texas, about 1850. According to first responders, the flight instructor and student pilot said that they were practicing touch and go takeoffs and landings at CRP when they had an engine issue on short final for runway 13. The flight instructor said that he took over flying the airplane when he realized they were having an engine issue. The airplane struck power lines and impacted a service road about .5 nm northwest of runway 13. A postimpact fire ensued. According to the owner of the flight school, the student pilot was transitioning from flying a Cessna 172 to a Piper Cherokee. The flight school owner also said that according to fuel records, they filled the airplane with 14 gallons of fuel before the flight for a total of 36 gallons. The airplane had a 100-hour inspection on April 1, 2026, and accumulated about 23 flight hours since the inspection. In the previous three months, the right magneto and right magneto p-lead were replaced as well as the starter ring gear. The airplane was retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-180, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7102808), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N317HM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N317HM), registered now, S/N 28-3734, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-3734
- Year built: 1966
- Airframe hours: 2704.66
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Splendid Aviation-Victoria LLC
- Registered owner: Splendid Aviation-Victoria LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, April 1, 2026
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: CRP, Corpus Christi International, runway 13, 7,510 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Unknown

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Wind: 150° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: KCRP, 1 nm away
- METAR: KCRP 132351Z 15018KT 10SM FEW015 FEW023 SCT030 26/21 A3000

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20260413004089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260413004089A), Apr 13, 2026: Piper PA-28-180, Corpus Christi, TX, Destroyed. On April 13, 2026, at approximately 1919 CDT, a Piper cherokee PA-28-180 airplane was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Corpus Christi, Texas.…

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.

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