Piper PA-28-140 accident near Houston, Texas, April 30, 2010
On April 30, 2010 at about 3:40 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N4397T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Houston, Texas (Weiser Air Park - Houston airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point which resulted in an overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2010 · about 3:40 am local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Weiser Air Park - Houston · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4397T · registry record · serial 28-7225163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a telephone conversation and subsequent written statement submitted by the pilot, during the night landing roll on runway 27 (3,455 feet by 40 feet, asphalt), the pilot was not able to stop the airplane. The airplane impacted a fence and vegetation at the departure end of the runway. The pilot stated that the runway surface was wet at the time of the landing. According to a statement provided to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by the pilot, the airplane touched down adjacent the fuel pumps on the ramp. An examination of the airplane revealed that the left and right wings sustained substantial damage to several ribs and the spars. The fuselage and firewall were wrinkled. An examination of the airplane and its systems, conducted by an FAA airworthiness inspector, revealed no anomalies. Rain was recorded six hours prior to the accident; however, no rain was recorded just prior to the accident. Examination of the pilot's flight records revealed that he was not current for passenger carriage at night.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Recent experience › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 24 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,327 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSGR Sugar Land TX at 3:00 pm
- Destination: KEYQ Houston TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 27, 3,455 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.55 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from KDWH, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.