Piper PA-28-161 accident near Decatur, Texas, January 8, 2005
On January 8, 2005 at about 5:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N9419C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Decatur, Texas (Decatur Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance and the instructor's inadequate supervision. Contributing factors were the prevailing dark night conditions, and the power line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 2005 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Decatur, Texas · Decatur Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N9419C · no longer on the register · serial 28-7816474
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 6,150 hour flight instructor reported that after completing two touch-and-go landings at the airport they decided to make a full stop landing. While on final approach to runway 35, the airplane struck power lines and impacted terrain just short of the runway. The instructor stated that during the approach, he informed the student pilot that he "was getting too low." Runway 35 is equipped with a medium intensity lighting system, with eight green lights to identify the end of the runway. Runway 35 is not equipped with either a PAPI or a VASI.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,150 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 113 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 4,780 as pilot in command; 3,661 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 25, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 50 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 9 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,140.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 2004; 94.0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming 0320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LUD Decatur TX
- Destination: LUD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,900 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 am from KDTO, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N9419C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.