Piper PA-28-140 accident near Livingston, Texas, December 9, 2003
On December 9, 2003 at about 11:56 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N98287, was destroyed in an accident near Livingston, Texas (Livingston 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to compensate for the wind conditions and maintain control of the airplane during the final approach. Contributing factors were the gusty and high wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 2003 · about 11:56 pm local time
- Place
- Livingston, Texas · Livingston Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N98287 · no longer on the register · serial 28-26147
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted trees, power lines, and terrain while on final approach at night in gusty and high wind conditions. A witness stated the airplane was "extremely low, and [the airplanes] never fly that low." The airplane traveled over his home, impacted a tree on his neighbor's property, and came to rest in the backyard of an adjacent property, approximately 2,600 feet short of runway 30. Another witness heard the impact, which he initially thought the wind had caused a tree or something to hit power lines. The 73-hour private pilot, who was reported to have accumulated a total of 15.2 hours in the accident airplane, was occupying the right seat. The 21-hour student pilot was occupying the left seat. A wind monitor located 1 mile from the accident site, recorded an average wind speed of 44 mph, a peak wind of 52 mph, and a wind direction of averaging 355 degrees. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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: 73 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 33 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 27, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,265 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 2003; 39.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6R3 Cleveland TX at 11:30 pm
- Destination: 00R Livingston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from UTS, 29 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.