- Date
- May 12, 1982, 05:07 local (10:07 UTC)
- Place
- Lorenzo, TX
- NTSB coordinates
- 36.7509, -94.8407 (estimated), outside the stated state
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9697CPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report May 12, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820512005449A
- Case key
- 71481
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 aircraft crashed while the pilot was trying to return to the departure airport after a night takeoff. Marginal VFR conditions were forecast with thunderstorms predicted. The aircraft accident occurred in area where a thunderstorm was in progress. His course to the airport was corrected by radar prior to accident. The pilot had flown the PA-28 type aircraft on one previous occasion. He was not instrument rated. When the plane crashed, it impacted at high speed in about a 60 deg left bank and about a 45 deg nose down attitude.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9697C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 78-16516
- Airframe hours
- 975
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Lawton Pilot Service
- Registered owner
- Ira Sawyer
- Departed
- Lubbock, TX
- Destination
- Duncan, OK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- LBB · Lubbock Intl., runway 26, 8,001 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 176 total · 5 in this make and model · 129 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 200° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Temperature
- 140 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LBB, 9 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.