Piper PA-28-140 accident near Lubbock, Texas, March 5, 2024
On March 5, 2024 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1964 Piper PA-28-140, registered N603LH, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lubbock, Texas (Lubbock Preston Smith Internat 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 student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2024 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lubbock, Texas · Lubbock Preston Smith Internat · 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 1964 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N603LH · registry record · serial 28-20030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After the student pilot completed three successful takeoff and landings with his instructor, he began his initial solo flight. The first takeoff and landing were uneventful. Following the second approach, the student pilot made a successful landing and initiated a touch-and-go by advancing the throttle to maximum power. The student pilot noted that once the airplane reached rotation speed and he added aft control pressure, the nose wheel began to lift and bounce during rotation. The airplane veered left and exited the left side of the runway. The right wing impacted the runway which resulted in substantial damage. The airplane came to rest upright in the grass adjacent to the runway. The student pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures 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 on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 15.2 hours in all; 12.2 in this make and model; 7.3 in the last 90 days; 7.3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,661 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 2023; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 2,661 hours total
- Operator: Hub City Aviation Academy LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KLBB Lubbock TX at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 11,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 5:30 pm from KLBB, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLBB 052330Z AUTO 13016KT 10SM CLR 21/01 A2990 RMK T02100010 MADISHF
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 April 12, 2024. 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 | Memorandum for Record A�� Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record A�� FAA Inspector | 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.