Piper PA-28-161 accident near Purcell, Oklahoma, July 14, 2002
On July 14, 2002 at about 2:55 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N96PF, was destroyed in an accident near Purcell, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The in-flight cabin fire as result of non-compliance with an AD and a Service Bulletin. A contributing factor to the accident was night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 2002 · about 2:55 am local time
- Place
- Purcell, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N96PF · registry record · serial 28-8116266
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While cruising at 4,500 feet MSL on a dark night cross-country flight, a passenger seated in the right rear seat in the 4-place airplane complained to the pilot that her seat cushion was hot and she smelled something burning. The pilot subsequently noticed that his instrument lights had dimmed and his radios were intermittently cutting out. Within minutes the leather seat cushion started to smoke and the passengers attempted to control the in-flight fire with a blanket and some bottled water. The pilot elected to make an emergency landing on an Interstate highway. He extended full flaps and touched down on the centerline of the northbound lane. He guided his 3 passengers out of the burning airplane into the shoulder of the road. The cabin of the airplane and all combustible material within the cabin of the airplane were consumed by the fire. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the required 1/2 inch thick plywood plate that was to be installed on the bottom of the right rear cushion to isolate the battery posts from making contact with the seat springs, was not installed. The one-time AD and Service Bulletin requiring the installation of the plywood board had been complied with on 17 FEB 1982. The aircraft interior had been refurbished twice since the application of the AD. The airplane was not equipped with a portable fire extinguisher.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 508 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 465 as pilot in command; 121 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 31, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 10, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TKI Mckinney TX at 1:41 am
- Destination: PWA Oklahoma City OK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from OUN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.