Piper PA-28-140 accident near San Antonio, Texas, January 20, 2023
On January 20, 2023 at about 2:50 pm local time, a 1969 Piper PA-28-140, registered N5610U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near San Antonio, Texas (Bulverde airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 2023 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · Bulverde · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140, built 1969 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5610U · registry record · serial 28-26540
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that she and her student pilot were practicing landings on runway 34. The instructor stated that the student pilot compensated for a crosswind out of the east. The student reported that she compensated with right aileron and left rudder; however, upon touchdown and landing roll-out, she did not release the left rudder pressure and the airplane began to veer to the left. The instructor attempted to correct the deviation and bring the airplane back to runway centerline, but the airplane impacted a ditch on the side of the runway and flipped over. Both wings and vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged. The pilots reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations.
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 on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 614 hours in all; 499 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 74 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,535 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 17, 2023
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-L2A (piston); 2,501 hours total
- Operator: Anderson Aviation LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 2,890 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 am from KSAT, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSAT 201451Z 06006KT 10SM OVC060 13/M01 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP215 T01331011 51020
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 30, 2023. 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, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Student Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | 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.