Piper PA 34-200 accident near Spring, Texas, April 25, 2014
On April 25, 2014 at about 11:25 pm local time, a 1973 Piper PA 34-200, registered N56755, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Spring, Texas (David Wayne Hooks Memorial airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of right brake effectiveness during landing for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 2014 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Spring, Texas · David Wayne Hooks Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 34-200, built 1973 · all PA 34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N56755 · registry record · serial 34-7450029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was flying the airplane and demonstrating a short-field landing during the instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that, after the airplane touched down about 90 mph, the right brake pedal went full forward, and the brakes were not slowing the airplane. He pumped the brake pedal several times to build pressure in the lines but was not successful. The pilot receiving instruction checked his brake pedals and confirmed that the right brake was not working. The flight instructor then shut down both engines when the airspeed was about 60 mph and subsequently lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane then drifted off the left side of the runway and impacted a ditch, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower aft fuselage and lower forward empennage. An examination of the brakes the day after the accident did not reveal any problems with the right brake; however, it could not be determined whether the brake system had been serviced or repaired following the accident. A photograph of skid marks on the runway showed that the skid marks for the left main landing gear (MLG) tire seemed to be darker than the skid marks for the right MLG tire. The evidence indicates that the right brake likely lost effectiveness during the landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control; however, the reason for the brake's loss of effectiveness could not be determined.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Cabin safety event during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,045 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 970 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 3, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 218 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 143 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 13, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,348 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 2014; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO360 SER (piston); 4,903 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming I0360 SER (piston); 1,383 hours total
- Operator: United Flight Systems INC
The flight
- Departed from: DWH Spring TX at 10:15 pm
- Destination: DWH Spring TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17L, 3,987 ft by 35 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KDWH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.