Piper PA-28-180 accident near Stillwater, Oklahoma, November 23, 2000
On November 23, 2000 at about 9:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N3988R, was destroyed in an accident near Stillwater, Oklahoma (Stillwater Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from terrain while performing an instrument approach. Contributing factors were the low ceiling, dark night light condition, the pilot's decision to fly in known adverse weather conditions, and his lack of an instrument rating.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 2000 · about 9:15 am local time
- Place
- Stillwater, Oklahoma · Stillwater Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3988R · no longer on the register · serial 28-7105092
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated private pilot obtained a weather briefing indicating that instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the destination airport. He filed an instrument flight rules flight plan and departed on the dark night cross-country flight. The pilot executed a missed approach on the first attempt to land at the destination airport. During the second approach, the airplane impacted terrain approximately 1/2 mile short of the runway threshold. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical discrepancies that would have prevented normal operation. The pilot had accumulated 818 hours of flight time, of which 13.4 hours were in actual or simulated instrument conditions. Around the time of the accident, the weather conditions at the airport included an overcast ceiling at 300 feet agl and a visibility of 4 statute miles in light rain and 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: 818 hours in all; 771 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HYS Hays KS at 7:10 am
- Destination: SWO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 6,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 118°F (48°C), dew point 118°F (48°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:11 am from SWO, 1 miles away
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.