Piper PA-24-250 accident near Mc Allen, Texas, December 31, 2012
On December 31, 2012 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8053P, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Mc Allen, Texas (Mc Allen Miller International 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
A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 31, 2012 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Mc Allen, Texas · Mc Allen Miller International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8053P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3299
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After taking off and climbing to about 1,200 feet above the ground, the airplane’s engine began to run rough and lost power. The pilot turned back toward the airport, but the airplane impacted terrain 200 feet short of the runway. The left main and nose landing gears separated from the airplane, the right wing was crushed, and the fuselage was buckled. Postaccident examination of the engine and related systems revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. According to a Federal Aviation Administration carburetor icing chart, conditions were conducive to carburetor icing at the time of the accident.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 481 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 416 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 30, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,392 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 26, 2012; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMFE Mc Allen TX at 3:35 pm
- Destination: 5T6 Weslaco TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 7,120 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KMFE
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.