Piper AEROSTAR 601P accident near Alpine, Texas, August 22, 2011
On August 22, 2011 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper AEROSTAR 601P, registered N8076J, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Alpine, Texas (Alpine-Casparis Municipal airport). It was a personal 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 improper flare which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to fly the airplane with a known mechanical deficiency.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 2011 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Alpine, Texas · Alpine-Casparis Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper AEROSTAR 601P · all AEROSTAR 601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N8076J · no longer on the register · serial 61P-0559-241
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot felt a vibration in the airplane’s controls and elected to return to the departure airport for a precautionary landing. While on short final, the airplane impacted a fence then made a hard landing on the runway. During the landing, the main landing gear was pushed up through the wing and the nose gear collapsed. The airplane subsequently exited the runway before coming to rest in an upright position. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the bolt holding the rudder trim tab to the actuator connecting rod was missing. The absence of this bolt would have allowed the trim tab to swing freely on its hinge. The pilot reported that during the preflight inspection, he observed that the rudder trim system was inoperative. Unable to center the rudder trim tab, the pilot elected to remove the bolt before takeoff. The pilot further reported that he was planning to have the trim system repaired when he returned his home base.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Flight control sys malf/fail during initial climb defining event
- Hard landing during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder tab control system › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,164 hours in all; 1,370 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 4,164 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 10, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,677 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 18, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 6,356 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E38 Alpine TX at 9:00 pm
- Destination: AXH Houston TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 19, 6,003 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN11LA558.