Piper PA 28-140 accident near Fort Worth, Texas, July 20, 2014
On July 20, 2014 at about 3:30 am local time, a 1970 Piper PA 28-140, registered N1694T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Fort Worth, Texas (Fort Worth Spinks airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was the deer on the runway and the pilot's mismanagement of airspeed which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2014 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Fort Worth Spinks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-140, built 1970 · all PA 28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1694T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7125011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, after landing, at night and during the rollout, he noticed a deer on the runway about 70-80 feet in front of the airplane. The engine was at idle and the carburetor heat was on, but he pulled back on the controls to climb over the deer. The airplane stalled about 10 feet above the runway, impacted the runway, and then bounced a couple times before the nose landing gear separated from the airplane. The airplane then nosed over, coming to rest inverted in the grass next to the runway. After several hours, the pilot was able to free himself from the airplane and drove him and the passenger home. An ambulance then took them to the local hospital. The airplane was noticed by the control tower operator, the following morning. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and right wing.
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
- Wildlife encounter (non-bird) during landing
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KFWS Fort Worth TX
- Destination: KFWS Fort Worth TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 6,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from KFWS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
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.