Piper PA-28R-180 accident near Blackwell, Oklahoma, July 13, 2004
On July 13, 2004 at about 5:37 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-180, registered N4634J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blackwell, Oklahoma (Blackwell-Tonkawa Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control and the instructor's inadequate supervision by his delay in taking corrective action during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2004 · about 5:37 pm local time
- Place
- Blackwell, Oklahoma · Blackwell-Tonkawa Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-180 · all PA-28R-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4634J · no longer on the register · serial 28R-30522
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 85-hour pilot receiving instruction reported that during the landing roll on runway 17 (a 3,500-foot long and 60-foot wide asphalt runway), he applied the brakes, and the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot applied right rudder but the airplane continued to veer left. The left main landing gear dropped off of the side of the runway into the grass. The 2,484-hour flight instructor then instructed the pilot to "go-around." As the airplane became airborne, the left main landing gear struck a taxiway sign. The pilot stated that after the collision, he noticed the there was no gear-down light for the left main gear. The flight instructor performed an emergency landing on runway 17 holding the airplane the right main landing gear as long as he could. As the airspeed bled off, the left wing impacted the runway surface. Subsequently, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway. A weather reporting station located 12 nautical miles from the accident site reported win from 180 degrees at 5 knots.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,484 hours in all; 388 in this make and model; 184 in the last 90 days; 86 in the last 30 days; 2,404 as pilot in command; 2,159 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 5, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 85 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PNC Ponca City OK at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 4O3 Blackwell OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,500 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from PNC, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N4634J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.