Piper PA-28-140 accident near Woodville, Texas, October 31, 1982
On October 31, 1982 at about 4:25 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N3858K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Woodville, Texas (Woodville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- October 31, 1982 · about 4:25 am local time
- Place
- Woodville, Texas · Woodville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N3858K · no longer on the register · serial 28-23751
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT ABOUT 2310 CDT, THE OWNER/PILOT AND TWO OTHER PERSONS TOOK OFF FROM THE TYLER COUNTY AIRPORT AT WOODVILLE, TX. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER, THE PLANE CRASHED AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE RUNWAY (16/34) AND A PERPENDICULAR TAXIWAY. IMPACT AND PROPELLER STRIKE MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE RUNWAY. THE IMPACT OCCURRED ON A HEADING OF 280 DEG AND CONTINUED TO THE RIGHT OF THE TAXIWAY. AFTER IMPACTING, THE PLANE TRAVELED ABOUT 230 FT ONTO A RAMP AND STRUCK TWO PARKED AIRCRAFT, CESSNA 182, N7256E AND PIPER PA-28, N1471T. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND A TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION. ABOUT 40 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST AT LUFKIN, TX, THE WEATHER WAS PARTIALLY OBSCURED, 400 FT THIN BROKEN, VISIBILITY 1 MI WITH FOG, WIND 150 AT 6 KTS. THE OWNER HELD A STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE DATED 6/27/80 (EXPIRED) WITH LIMITATIONS, NOT VALID FOR NIGHT OR BY COLOR CONTROL SIGNAL.
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
- Flight time: 68 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 35 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,507 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 09R Woodville TX at 11:10 pm
- Destination: 09R Woodville TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.