Piper PA-24-260 and Grumman AA5B mid-air collision near Paris, Texas, September 16, 1982
On September 16, 1982 at about 10:35 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-24-260 (N300AH) and Grumman AA5B (N1531R), were involved in a mid-air collision near Paris, Texas. 3 people were killed; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 1982 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Paris, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N300AH · no longer on the register · serial 24-4828
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Grumman AA5B
- Registration
- N1531R · registry record · serial 0031
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-24-260 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PA-24 HAD DEPARTED RWY 17 AT COX FIELD & WAS CLIMBING AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION. THE PLT HAD REPORTED HIS INTENDED DEPARTURE ON UNICOM. THE AA5B HAD REPORTED 5 MI SW OF THE ARPT DESCENDING THROUGH 5,000 FT FOR LANDING. THE HEAD-ON COLLISION OCCURRED AT 5,000 FT. APPROXIMATELY 3 FT OF THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE PA-24 RIGHT WING SEPARATED & THE ACFT SPUN TO THE GROUND. THE AA5B WAS ABLE TO LAND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Grumman AA5B final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PA-24 HAD DEPARTED RWY 17 AT COX FIELD & WAS CLIMBING AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION. THE PLT HAD REPORTED HIS INTENDED DEPARTURE ON UNICOM. THE AA5B HAD REPORTED 5 MI SW OF THE ARPT DESCENDING THROUGH 5,000 FT. FOR LANDING. THE HEAD-ON COLLISION OCCURRED AT 5,000 FT. APPROXIMATELY 3 FT OF THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE PA-24 RIGHT WING SEPARATED & THE ACFT SPUN TO THE GROUND. THE AA5B WAS ABLE TO LAND WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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 for the Piper PA-24-260 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,983 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Essary Drywall INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Paris TX at 5:30 pm
- Destination: Dallas TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 183°F (84°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:40 pm from PRX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
The factual record for the Grumman AA5B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 634 hours in all; 254 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 593 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 926 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mckinney TX at 4:50 pm
- Destination: Dallas TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N300AH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW82FA382.