Piper PA-34-200T accident near San Marcos, Texas, April 4, 2012
On April 4, 2012, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N1162X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near San Marcos, Texas (San Marcos Municipal Airport). It was a positioning 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 ensure that he was aware of the NOTAM describing the runway closure, which resulted in a landing on the closed runway and subsequent collision with a barrier. Contributing to the accident was the failure of air traffic control personnel to include the runway closure information on the recorded ATIS information, which the pilot had listened to prior to landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2012
- Place
- San Marcos, Texas · San Marcos Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N1162X · registry record · serial 34-7570225
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot called the Flight Service Station (FSS) before departing on a cross-country flight to ask if there were any restrictions along his flight route that he needed to be aware of; none were mentioned. Upon arrival at his destination about dusk, the pilot listened to the Automated Terminal Information Service (ATIS); the control tower was closed at the time. The pilot then landed the airplane on runway 8, and during the landing roll, the airplane struck construction barriers on the runway, which resulted in the main landing gear shearing off and substantial damage to the left wing. The ATIS recording did not include information about runway 8 being closed. A March 21, 2012, NOTAM was in effect and stated that runway 8/26 was closed due to construction; this information was not provided or requested during the FSS briefing. The Airman’s Information Manual states that an FSS is required to advise pilots of pertinent NOTAMs if a standard briefing is requested. It further states that pilot's should remind the briefer to advise of NOTAMs if the information is not received in the brief. It is ultimately the pilot’s responsibility to ensure that he is familiar with all relevant NOTAMs. Further, FAA Order JO7210.3X states, in part, that facilities with runway construction must ensure ATIS message content is complete, accurate, and contains the proper information related to runway closures. The pilot stated postaccident that reflective ribbons and directional flashing lights, could have helped him see the barrier. He also stated that he flew into the same airport about a week after the accident and noted that the runway closure was included on the ATIS recording.
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 during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- factor Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › (general) › (general) › ATC
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,618 hours in all; 567 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 2,683 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 18, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,441 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 2011
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Texas Rain Enhancement Assoc
The flight
- Departed from: CZT Carrizo Springs TX at 11:30 pm
- Destination: HYI San Marcos TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
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.
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 CEN12LA229.