Piper PA-28-181 accident near Sugar Land, Texas, December 10, 2003
On December 10, 2003 at about 1:05 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N47413, was destroyed in an accident near Sugar Land, Texas (Sugar Land Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to maintain clearance with powerlines during a VFR approach. Contributing factors were the prevailing dark night conditions,and the high winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2003 · about 1:05 am local time
- Place
- Sugar Land, Texas · Sugar Land Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N47413 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7890069
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 350-hour non-instrument rated private pilot was told by the air traffic control tower operator to report midfield downwind under dark night visual meteorological conditions. The controller contacted the pilot of the accident airplane when it was abeam the approach end of runway 35, asking him if he could see the runway. The pilot confirmed he saw the runway, and was cleared to land. Subsequently, the airplane struck power lines running perpendicular to the approach end of the runway. Tower personnel reported observing a "flash similar to the explosion of a transformer." Runway 35 featured a displaced threshold of 1964 feet, and was equipped with runway lighting. At the time of the accident, the wind at the airport was reported from 320 degrees, at 16 knots gusting to 25 knots. No distress calls were received from the pilot prior to the accident. No anomalies were noted in the airframe or engine during the course of the investigation.
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: 350 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,584.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 2003; 73.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mvp Aero Academy
The flight
- Departed from: EYQ Houston TX
- Destination: SGR Sugar Land TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 8,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 16 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
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.