Piper PA-32R-301 accident near Holdenville, Oklahoma, February 20, 2011
On February 20, 2011 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-301, registered N8310L, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Holdenville, Oklahoma (Holdenville Municipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to land with a tailwind and his delay in executing a go around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2011 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Holdenville, Oklahoma · Holdenville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301s on the register
- Registration
- N8310L · no longer on the register · serial 32R-8113024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector the pilot said he inadvertently landed with a tailwind. Realizing his mistake and unable to stop the airplane on the runway remaining, he attempted to takeoff; however, the airplane collided with shrubs at the end of the runway, shearing off both wings. The pilot said that his attempted go-around was unsuccessful because the airplane had a nearly full fuel load.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Personality/attitude › Complacency › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Contributed to outcome
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 3, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,218 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 2010; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: 3D Well Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: BKN Blackwell OK at 7:00 pm
- Destination: F99 Holdenville OK
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 35, 3,251 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.71 inHg
- Observation at 8:10 pm from SRE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N8310L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.