# NTSB FTW93LA218: Piper PA-28-161, N3079M, League City, TX, July 27, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 27, 1993, 11:20 local (16:20 UTC) - Place: League City, TX - Coordinates: 29.479076, -95.099517 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.4791&lon=-95.0995&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report September 13, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 18798 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW93LA218 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18798/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW93LA218 ## Probable cause VISUAL LOOKOUT NOT MAINTAINED BY THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE. A FACTOR WAS THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE BECOMING INADVERTENTLY LOST. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, taxi - to takeoff - became lost/disoriented - inadvertent, driver of vehicle (contributing factor) - visual lookout - not maintained, driver of vehicle (cause) - object - vehicle - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, taxi - to takeoff ## Analysis THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO TAXI HIS AIRPLANE TO RUNWAY 13 FOR DEPARTURE AT THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. THE DRIVER OF A MOTOR VEHICLE WAS LOST AND INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE TAXIWAY AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TOWARD THE AIRPLANE. AS THE PILOT MOVED HIS AIRPLANE TOWARD THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TAXIWAY, THE VEHICLE IMPACTED THE LEFT WING WHICH SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME. ## Factual narrative On July 27, 1993, at approximately 1120 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-161, N3079M sustained substantial damage during a collision with a vehicle while taxing at Houston Gulf Airport, Houston, Texas. The private pilot was not injured. One passenger in a moving motor vehicle sustained serious injuries and a second passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area for the planned local personal flight. During interviews, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration inspectors with the pilot and local authorities, the following information was revealed. The passenger vehicle inadvertently entered the taxi area and proceeded at approximately 40 miles per hour toward the moving airplane. Impact occurred with the left wing of the airplane and the windshield of the vehicle. The wing and the main gear came to rest approximately 30 feet from the main wreckage. The Pilot/Operator Report revealed the following information. The private pilot was rated in gliders and endorsed for solo flight in the airplane. During the taxi, the pilot observed a car being driven down the taxiway. The driver subsequently turned the car around and was driving toward the airplane. The pilot taxied the airplane to the right side of the taxiway; however, the car impacted the left wing which separated from the airframe. The airplane slid to a stop on the taxiway. An enclosed witness statement indicated the passenger of the car and the driver were looking for a road and somehow ended up on the taxiway. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3079M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3079M), registered now, S/N 28-7816336, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7816336 - Airframe hours: 2181 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D3G 161 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Ellington Flying Club - Registered owner: Aero Aspen, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 7, 1993, 62 hours before - Airport: SPX, Houston Gulf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; private; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 165 total, 15 in this make and model, 4 as pilot in command, 47 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 228° at 5 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,100 ft broken - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: HOU, 20 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930727025769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930727025769A), Jul 27, 1993: Piper PA28161, Houston, TX, Substantial damage. During taxi for takeoff collided with auto driven by lost driver. Impact tore off left wing. ## Other investigations on N3079M (1) 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. - [NTSB ERA23FA380](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23FA380), Sep 28, 2023: Piper PA28 (N3079M), Whitesville, KY, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s improper decision to continue flight into a known area of thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.