- Date
- July 9, 1985, 16:03 local (21:03 UTC)
- Place
- Austin, TX
- Injuries
- 3 minor; on the ground: 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8203DPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850709030349A
- Case key
- 21793
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 eng failed at about 2000 ft MSL while the acft was climbing to cruise flt. The plt attempted to turn back to the arpt but realized it was too FAR away. The plt then made a forced landing in a grass area adjacent to a large hwy at about a 45 deg angle to the road. The acft crossed an access road, two traffic lanes of the main hwy, the median strip, and came to rest after entering the two opposite traffic lanes where a vehicle contacted its right wing and knocked it off the acft. The vehicle received minor damage and its two occupants, along with the plt, received minor injuries. Postaccident run-up of the eng failed to disclose any mechanical failure/malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8203D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8290120
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William H. Mayer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- AUS · Austin, TX
- Destination
- F26 · Plano, 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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 84 total · 4 in this make and model · 54 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AUS, 4 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.