Piper PA-38-112 accident near Houston, Texas, June 3, 1999
On June 3, 1999 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N4273E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (Houston - May airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadequate remedial action by the pilot in command (CFI) after the student failed to maintain control of the aircraft during the final stages of a visual approach to land. Factors were gusting crosswinds and the flight instructor's lack of total instructional experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1999 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Houston - May
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N4273E · no longer on the register · serial 38-78A0518
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While conducting a visual approach to land in gusting crosswinds, the dual student failed to maintain control of the aircraft. The flight instructor, who had 25 hours flight experience as an instructor, attempted to perform a go-around and the aircraft impacted the ground beside the runway of intended landing.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 365 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command; 25 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,122 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 24, 1999; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DWH Spring TX at 9:20 pm
- Destination: 2XS3
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,440 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 90°F (32°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from DWH, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.