Piper PA-28-140 accident near Livingston, Texas, April 14, 2013
On April 14, 2013 at about 4:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6784F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Livingston, Texas (Livingston Municipal 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 delay to not perform a go-around when he lost sight of the runway while on final approach to land at night. Contributing to the accident was the obscuration (tall grass) of the runway edge lights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2013 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Livingston, Texas · Livingston 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-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6784F · registry record · serial 28-7725079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a cross country night VFR flight, the pilot decided to make a stop to refuel prior to continuing to his final destination. After overflying the airport, he entered a standard left-hand traffic pattern. The pilot stated that everything was normal until nearing his flare to land on final approach. The runway lights began to disappear from the pilot's view for an unknown reason. As the pilot caught a glance of runway markings from the airplane's landing light reflection, he added power to execute a go-around but touched down just left of the runway's asphalt surface. He stated that the touchdown was gentle, so he elected to abandon the go-around and reduced power. The airplane then contacted unseen taxi signs with the right wing and right landing gear and the left landing gear before the pilot maneuvered the airplane back onto the runway surface. The airplane sustained substantial damage to leading edge of the right wing from the contact with the taxi signs. After exiting the airplane, the pilot discovered that the grass surrounding the runway had not been cut and was waist high, which could have obscured the runway lighting as the airplane descended on short final approach. He stated that he was not able to see and avoid the taxi signs. The pilot stated after the accident that he was not expecting to lose sight of the runway lighting during final approach. He also stated that he should have made the decision to attempt a go-around sooner.
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 › Delayed action › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 304 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 254 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 9, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,083 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 16, 2013; 15 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T41 Houston TX at 3:45 am
- Destination: GLE Gainesville TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 12, 3,704 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 4:05 am from 6R3, 20 miles away
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.