- Date
- January 15, 2004, 11:17 local (17:17 UTC)
- Place
- Poynor, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4136SPiper PA-32R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Dallas FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 58622
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while on final approach. A factor was the downdraft.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The 5,217-hour pilot stated that on final approach to runway 17, he encountered a downdraft which caused the airplane to descend more rapidly than normal. The landing gear impacted a barbed wire fence, and the airplane landed approximately 7-feet short of the runway. Runway 17 was reported to be 3,200 feet long by 40 feet wide.
Factual narrative
On January 15, 2004, at 1117 central standard time, a Piper PA-32R single-engine airplane, N4136S, was substantially damaged when it impacted a fence on final approach to Pickle Plantation Airport (XS91) near Poynor, Texas. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated by D'Cap Industries Inc., of Poynor, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
In a written statement, the pilot stated that he had departed Pickle Plantation airport earlier that day for a local, pleasure flight. Upon his return to the airport, he encountered a downdraft on final approach to runway 17, which caused the airplane to descend more rapidly than normal. The landing gear impacted a barbed wire fence, and the airplane landed approximately 7-feet short of the runway. Runway 17 was reported to be 3,200 feet long by 40 feet wide.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the accident site, the main gear had separated from the airplane and the nose gear was folded up in the nose gear wheel-well. Both wings were "buckled and wrinkled," and all three propeller blades were bent back.
The pilot reported a total of 5,216.5 flight hours, of which, 1,447.1 hours were in the same make and model airplane.
The weather at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport (TYR), near Tyler, Texas, 19 miles northeast of the accident site, at 1053, was reported as winds from 090 degrees at 12 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, few clouds at 2,400 feet, broken at 3,400 feet, and a barometric pressure of 30.18 inches of Mercury. The temperature was 61 degrees Fahrenheit, and the dewpoint was 39 degrees Fahrenheit.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4136S
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 57093
- Engine
- Avco Lycoming TIO-540-AH1A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- D'Cap Industries Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- XS91 · Poynor, TX
- Destination
- XS91 · Poynor, TX
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,216 total · 1,447 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- TYR