Piper PA-28 accident near Abilene, Texas, October 26, 2004
On October 26, 2004 at about 3:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N9284J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Abilene, Texas (Abilene Regional Airport). It was a personal 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing factors were the wet runway surface and rain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 2004 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Abilene, Texas · Abilene Regional Airport · 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 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N9284J · no longer on the register · serial 28-3364
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 3000-hour commercial pilot reported that due to the heavy rain and instrument weather conditions that prevailed, he requested an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach. During the landing roll, the pilot reported that the airplane hit a patch of water on the wet runway, and as a result, the airplane veered to the left. Subsequently, the pilot applied right rudder to correct the situation, but the nose wheel did not become effective until it came into contact with grass off the left side of the runway. At this time, the pilot attempted to steer the airplane back onto the runway, but the tire of the left main landing gear hit a runway light, and the front of the aircraft hit a taxiway sign.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 312 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 30, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,533.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 20, 2004; 85.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SWI Sherman TX at 1:15 am
- Destination: ABI Abilene TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35R, 7,198 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 am from ABI
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.