Piper PA-28-161 accident near Llano, Texas, April 7, 1993
On April 7, 1993 at about 7:10 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N81527, was destroyed in an accident near Llano, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC. FACTORS WERE: LOW CEILING, DARK NIGHT, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT TIME.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1993 · about 7:10 am local time
- Place
- Llano, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N81527 · no longer on the register · serial 28-8016258
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A LOWERING CEILING. HE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO LLANO, TEXAS. WHILE TURNING FROM BASE LEG TO FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES ON THE DOWNSIDE OF A HILL, ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT SAID VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE PREVAILING VISIBILITY WAS FIVE MILES, IT WAS 'RESTRICTED TO ONE TO TWO MILES IN HAZE AND FOG' IN A 'VERY LIGHT MIST.'
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,106 hours in all; 948 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,106 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,393 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 1992; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPL Temple TX at 6:00 am
- Destination: T50 Menard TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; scat at 300 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket 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.