Piper PA-34-200 accident near Kingston, Oklahoma, March 12, 1983
On March 12, 1983 at about 5:36 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N43480, was destroyed in an accident near Kingston, Oklahoma (Lake Texoma Resort airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. 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 12, 1983 · about 5:36 pm local time
- Place
- Kingston, Oklahoma · Lake Texoma Resort · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N43480 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7450191
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ROLLED RIGHT AFTER A PREMATURE LIFTOFF DUE TO A DIP IN THE RWY. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO ROLL RIGHT UNTIL IT IMPACTED A 6 DEGREE SLOPE IN A 100 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE HAD SUFFERED A POWER LOSS DUE TO A BLOCKAGE OF AN INTERNAL MUFFLER DIFFUSER. THIS ENGINE HAD A HISTORY OF MALFUNCTIONS, HARD STARTING, LOSS OF POWER ON TAKEOFF, ACFT YAWING IN FLT TO THE RIGHT & RUNNING TOO LEAN WITH HIGH CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURES.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 443 hours in all; 91 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 293 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1982; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LIO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lou White,Lou White Aircraft
The flight
- Destination: ADD Dallas TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:47 pm from F39, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 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.