Piper PA-28-180 accident near Corpus Christi, Texas, April 14, 2026
On April 14, 2026, a 1966 Piper PA-28-180, registered N317HM, was destroyed in an accident during approach near Corpus Christi, Texas (Corpus Christi International airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2026
- Place
- Corpus Christi, Texas · Corpus Christi International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180, built 1966 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N317HM · registry record · serial 28-3734
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On April 13, 2026, about 19:19 central daylight time, a Piper Cherokee PA-28-180 airplane, N317HM was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Corpus Christi, Texas. The flight instructor and student pilot were seriously injured. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. ADS-B data revealed that the airplane departed Corpus Christi International Airport (CRP), Corpus Christi, Texas, about 1850. According to first responders, the flight instructor and student pilot said that they were practicing touch and go takeoffs and landings at CRP when they had an engine issue on short final for runway 13. The flight instructor said that he took over flying the airplane when he realized they were having an engine issue. The airplane struck power lines and impacted a service road about .5 nm northwest of runway 13. A postimpact fire ensued. According to the owner of the flight school, the student pilot was transitioning from flying a Cessna 172 to a Piper Cherokee. The flight school owner also said that according to fuel records, they filled the airplane with 14 gallons of fuel before the flight for a total of 36 gallons. The airplane had a 100-hour inspection on April 1, 2026, and accumulated about 23 flight hours since the inspection. In the previous three months, the right magneto and right magneto p-lead were replaced as well as the starter ring gear. 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 approach defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,704.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 2026
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Splendid Aviation-Victoria LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 7,510 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 150° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from KCRP, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KCRP 132351Z 15018KT 10SM FEW015 FEW023 SCT030 26/21 A3000
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
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.