Piper PA28 accident near Atlanta, Texas, March 26, 2026
On March 26, 2026 at about 12:20 pm local time, a 1967 Piper PA28, registered N1653J, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Atlanta, Texas (Hall-Miller Muni airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 2026 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Atlanta, Texas · Hall-Miller Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 140, built 1967 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N1653J · registry record · serial 28-24047
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 26, 2026, about 0720 central daylight time, a Piper PA28-140 airplane, N1653J, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Atlanta, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. According to preliminary information obtained from the pilot, during the initial climb and while still over the runway, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot elected to land straight ahead, touching down just past the runway in a grassy area. During the landing rollout, the airplane collided with the airport’s perimeter chain link fence resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. A FAA inspector responded to the accident site and found fuel in both wing tanks. Sumped fuel from the tanks showed no evidence of water contamination. The airplane had recently been fueled, and the airport’s fuel also showed no evidence of contamination. The airplane was retained for further examination.
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 initial climb defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Destination: TXK Texarkana AR
- Runway 23, 3,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 am from KATA, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KATA 261215Z AUTO 18003KT 9SM CLR 17/17 A3005 RMK AO2 T01710166 $=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN26LA149.