Piper PA-28-140 accident near New Braunfels, Texas, June 9, 2022
On June 9, 2022 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1967 Piper PA-28-140, registered N3798K, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near New Braunfels, Texas (New Braunfels Rgnl airport). It was an instructional 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 failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2022 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Braunfels, Texas · New Braunfels Rgnl · 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, built 1967 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N3798K · registry record · serial 28-23733
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that during the takeoff roll the airplane began “drifting to the left” of the runway centerline. The airplane briefly became airborne as the pilot attempted to apply opposite rudder. The airplane then landed hard and came to rest in a grassy area at the end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage and nose wheel landing gear. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 control in flight during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 25, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,591.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 23, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320-E2A (piston); 1,750 hours total
- Operator: Texas Aviation Acaemy
The flight
- Departed from: BAZ New Braunfels TX at 6:07 pm
- Destination: BAZ New Braunfels TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,364 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 1:14 am from KBAZ
Weather report (METAR): KBAZ 090614Z AUTO 18009KT 10SM BKN017 27/23 A2994 RMK AO2 T02670233
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 27, 2022. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 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.