- Date
- March 8, 1985, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- El Campo, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N3438PPiper PA-23-160
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850308036949A
- Case key
- 21693
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.
Loss of control - in flight
Engine assembly - inoperativeCause
Operation with known deficiencies in equipment - attemptedCause
Pressure induced by others
Maintenance,service of aircraft/equipment - inadequateCause
Pressure induced by others
Aircraft performance,takeoff capability - disabledCause
Flight to destination alternate - not followedCause
Judgment - poorCause
Loss of control - in flight
Emergency light(s) - inadequate
Gear retraction - not obtainedFactor
Airspeed(vmc) - not obtainedFactor
In flight collision with object
Object - tree(s)Factor
Analysis
Attempting a single-engine take-off, the pilot was unable to maintain VMC or retract the landing gear. He lost control of the aircraft and collided with a tree.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3438P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 23-140G
- Airframe hours
- 4,900
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B3B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- Coastal Flying Service
- Registered owner
- G.K. Sharp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 2, 1984 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- TX09 · El Campo, TX
- Destination
- 26R · Edna, TX
- Airport
- TX09 · Coastal Airpark, runway 17, 3,100 × 100 ft, grass/turf
N3438PRegistration cancelled Oct 3, 2012 · Piper PA-23-160Airframe modelPiper PA-23-160Engine modelLycoming 0-320 series
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
- 44
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15,700 total · 254 in this make and model · 14,720 as pilot in command · 170 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PSX, 25 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.