Piper PA-32-301 accident near Spicewood, Texas, September 5, 2009
On September 5, 2009 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N117EM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Spicewood, Texas (Spicewood airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2009 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Spicewood, Texas · Spicewood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N117EM · registry record · serial 32-8006093
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon landing on the 30-foot-wide runway at the destination airport, the private pilot applied the brakes. The airplane turned sharply to the left and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane came to rest in the upright position, approximately 150 feet from the runway's edge. Damage was sustained to the airplane's nosewheel, firewall and left wing. An examination of the airplane by the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not discover any anomalies with the airplane's controls or braking system.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 693 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 693 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,142 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2009; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K165 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 11R Brenham TX at 5:05 pm
- Destination: 88R Spicewood TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,185 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.