Piper PA-38-112 accident near La Porte, Texas, May 19, 2006
On May 19, 2006 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2378K, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Porte, Texas (La Porte Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's inadequate weather evaluation and his failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall. A contributing factor was the prevailing tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2006 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- La Porte, Texas · La Porte Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2378K · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0601
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 150-hour solo student pilot lost control of the single-engine airplane while attempting a short field takeoff from runway 30 with a prevailing 15 knot tailwind. According to the owner/operator of the airplane, the pilot reported that he was following another aircraft to runway 30 for takeoff. The operator added that the pilot performed an intersection takeoff instead of using all available runway because the aircraft he was following blocked his access. During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the student pilot stated that after takeoff he allowed his airspeed to deteriorate and the stall horn activated. The pilot added that he elected to "crash" straight ahead after he realized that the airplane could not accelerate or climb. Investigation of the accident site by the FAA inspector revealed that the airplane touched down in the wings level attitude, about 76 feet from the departure end of the runway and impacted a chain link fence before coming to rest in the inverted position approximately 340 feet from the departure end of runway 30. According to eyewitnesses interviewed by the FAA inspector, the windsock was indicating a surface wind of at least 15 knots from approximately 160 degrees when the aircraft departed the 4,165-foot long by 75-foot wide runway. The nearest weather reporting station, located approximately 7 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, reported winds from 130 degrees at 10 knots. Another weather reporting station, located approximately 12 miles west of the accident site reported winds from 170 degrees at 11 knots. The student pilot failed to return a completed NTSB Form 6120.1 to the Investigator in Change (IIC).
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T41 La Porte TX
- Destination: T41 La Porte TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,165 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from HOU, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.