Piper PA-22 accident near Mountain Home, Texas, September 3, 2004
On September 3, 2004 at about 4:54 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N2972P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mountain Home, Texas (Goebel Field). It was a personal 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 adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2004 · about 4:54 pm local time
- Place
- Mountain Home, Texas · Goebel Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N2972P · no longer on the register · serial 22-3247
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot lost control of the single-engine airplane shortly after takeoff from a 2,200-foot long turf runway. The 245-hour private pilot stated that after liftoff from the runway, the airspeed was approximately 65 miles per hour (mph) and the rate of climb was about 200 feet per minute. The pilot maintained back pressure on the yoke until the airplane cleared the treetops on his side at an altitude of approximately 50 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot noticed airspeed beginning to decay and released back pressure on the yoke. The airplane continued to descend in a nose-high attitude until it impacted terrain.
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: 245 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 245 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 21, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,119.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 28, 2003; 23.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320A2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AQO Llano TX at 3:33 pm
- Destination: 4TS5 Mountain Home TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 14, 2,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from KJCT, 22 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.