Piper PA-28-181 accident near La Grange, Texas, March 2, 1983
On March 2, 1983 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8384A, was destroyed in an accident near La Grange, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1983 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- La Grange, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8384A · no longer on the register · serial 28-8190235
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ELECTED TO TAKEOFF TO THE NORTH ON A DOWNSLOPING PAVED ROAD. HE REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS VARIABLE FROM THE SOUTHWEST AT 2 TO 4 KTS, GUSTING 4 TO 6 KTS. AT AUSTIN, TX, THE WIND WAS FROM 190 DEG AT 13 GUSTING 20 KTS & AT COLLEGE STATION, TX, IT WAS FROM 200 DEG AT 11 KTS. THE SELECTED ROADWAY WAS APPRX 1800 LONG, THEN CURVED TO THE RIGHT. DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE BEFORE REACHING THE CURVE, BUT THE LEFT WING HIT 35 FT TREES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER LIFT-OFF & THE ACFT CRASHED. ACCORDING TO THE ACFT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK, 1624 FT WAS REQUIRED TO CLEAR A 50 FT OBSTACLE IN NO WIND CONDITIONS. THE PLT STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED AN ENG PROBLEM, BUT NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PLT ALSO STATED THAT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY ENCOUNTERED AN ENG PROBLEM & HAD MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON THE ROAD, THEN ELECTED TO TAKEOFF AFTER THE ENG & FUEL CHECKED NORMAL. HOWEVER, WITNESSES TOLD LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL THAT THE PLT HAD LANDED & PICKED UP THE PASSENGER. SPEED & PROP SLASH MARKS INDICATED 2450 RPM
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: 301 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 244 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 550 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 12, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: DWH Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.