# NTSB FTW85LA293: Piper PA-38-112, N2323E, Graford, TX, July 21, 1985

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 21, 1985, 02:20 local (07:20 UTC)
- Place: Graford, TX
- Location: 32.9233° N, 98.4369° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at POSSUM KINGDOM (F35), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9233&lon=-98.4369&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 21805
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW85LA293
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/21805/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW85LA293

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, descent
  - airport facilities,rotating beacon - inoperative (contributing factor)
  - delayed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - performed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause)
- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - proper descent rate - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- Complete gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - design stress limits of aircraft - exceeded, pilot in command (cause)
- Nose over, landing - flare/touchdown
  - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE PILOT ARRIVED IN THE MINERAL WELLS, TX, AREA, HIS INTENDED DESTINATION, AND STATED HE COULDN'T SEE THE AIRPORT DUE TO THE ROTATING BEACON AND RUNWAY LIGHTS NOT OPERATING. NOTAMED TO THIS EFFECT, HOWEVER, THE AIRPORT SUPERVISOR STATED THAT TO THE BEST OF HIS KNOWLEDGE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE OPERATING. THE PILOT DIVERTED TO POSSUM KINGDOM AIRPORT NEAR GRAFORD, TX. WITH ONLY A FEW MINUTES OF USABLE FUEL. HE ARRIVED IN THE AREA AT 7000 FEET MSL AND STARTED TO SPIRAL DOWN OVER THE AIRPORT. DURING THE SPIRAL, AT 6000 FEET MSL, THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION, THE SPIRAL CONTINUED AND HE ROLLED OUT ON FINAL APPROACH TOO HIGH AND FAST. HE DELIBERATELY TOUCHED DOWN BESIDE THE RUNWAY IN SOFT TERRAIN TO PREVENT AN OVERRUN WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH BUILDINGS. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS RATHER HARD, CAUSING THE NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEARS TO COLLAPSE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN FLIPPED INVERTED AND STOPPED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2323E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2323E-1988-12-02), registration cancelled 1988-12-02, S/N 3878A0442 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-38-112
- Registry model: [Piper PA-38-112](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (registry code 7103812) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 3878A0442
- Airframe hours: 1175
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 112 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: E.L. Weir
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 18, 1985, 64 hours before
- Departed: PVW, PLAINVIEW, TX
- Destination: MWL, MINERAL WELLS, TX
- Airport: F35, Possum Kingdom, runway 2, 3,200 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 50; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 129 total, 100 in this make and model, 83 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F
- Observed at: FTW

## 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 19850721032799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850721032799A), Jul 21, 1985: Piper PA38112, Graford, TX, Destroyed. Diverted due to lack of runway lights. Ran out of fuel and spiraled to landing, overshot, landed beside runway.

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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