Piper PA-28-161 accident near Hudson Oaks, Texas, September 1, 2026
On September 1, 2026 at about 12:30 pm local time, a 1977 Piper PA-28-161, registered N47899, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Hudson Oaks, Texas (Parker County airport). It was an other work-use 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 loss of directional control during the rejected takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to abort the takeoff after the airplane had accelerated above its normal rotation speed. Also contributing to the accident was the flight school’s non-standard engine break-in takeoff procedure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2026 · about 12:30 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Hudson Oaks, Texas · Parker County · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161, built 1977 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N47899 · registry record · serial 28-7816153
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to conduct the break-in of a newly installed engine and that this was his first engine break-in flight. Before departure, the pilot received a briefing from the chief flight instructor regarding the engine break-in procedures outlined in the school’s Engine Break-In Checklist. The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll, about 900 ft down the runway, he realized that the throttle was not in the takeoff position and advanced it full forward. About halfway down the runway, he evaluated that he would not reach his intended rotation speed of 75 knots and aborted the takeoff. During the aborted takeoff, at 60 knots, the airplane briefly became airborne before settling back onto the runway. The airplane continued decelerating, but departed the runway surface near the runway 36 hold-short line and came to rest in a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The chief pilot and the owner/operator reported that the operator's engine break-in procedures required pilots to rotate at 75 knots and establish a shallow climb for better engine cooling. A review of the pilot operating handbook shows that a normal takeoff rotation speed is about 55 knots. A review of the Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1427C, Reciprocating Engine Break-In and Oil Consumption, directs operators to conduct a full-power takeoff in accordance with the applicable POH and does not specify an increased rotation speed for engine break-in 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
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › Operator
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 403.8 hours in all; 311.7 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 24.6 in the last 30 days; 305.7 as pilot in command; 26 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 19, 2026
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,806 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 12, 2026; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 8 hours total
- Operator: Nationwide Aviation LLC
The flight
- Destination: KAQO Llano TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17/3, 2,892 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 am from KNFW, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KNFW 011152Z 23003KT 10SM FEW080 FEW250 26/19 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP146 T02610189 10300 20261 53002 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on October 1, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Owner Operator | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Chief Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Engine Break-in Checklist | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Lycoming Reciprocating Engine Break-in and Oil Consumption Instruction No. 1427C | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N47899 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-28 Cherokee, Warrior, Archer and Arrow 18,623 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,842 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G 133 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Parker County · nearest airport
- Llano Municipal · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,064 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,966 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN26LA304.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.