Piper PA 25-235 accident near Galveston, Texas, June 28, 2015
On June 28, 2015 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1964 Piper PA 25-235, registered N94MC, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Galveston, Texas. It was a banner-towing flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to a failure of a crankshaft idler gear shaft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2015 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Galveston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 25-235, built 1964 · all PA 25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N94MC · no longer on the register · serial 25-2784
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while the airplane was towing a banner about 1,100 ft mean sea level, the engine lost power. The pilot's attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The pilot executed a forced landing to a pasture, during which the right wing struck a fence. The airplane then came to rest upright. The pilot reported that there were no anomalies or indications before the loss of engine power. Disassembly of the engine revealed that a crankshaft idler gear shaft had failed and separated from the accessory gear case. The failed idler gear shaft and its attachment hardware were not located, and a metallurgical examination could not be conducted to determine the reason for the failure.
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 maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng rear section › Failure
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,900 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 2,458 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 4, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,519.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 23, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-G1A5 (piston); 5,232 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LVJ Pearland TX at 3:30 pm
- Destination: LVJ Pearland TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on November 3, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.