Piper PA-24-250 accident near Houston, Texas, October 13, 1982
On October 13, 1982 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5697P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (Hobby Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- October 13, 1982 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Hobby Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5697P · no longer on the register · serial 24-770
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD TAXIED ONTO TAXIWAY LIMA AND HAD STOPPED SHORT OF RUNWAY 13R/31L TO HOLD FOR LANDING TRAFFIC. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, AN AIRPORT EMPLOYEE WAS PROCEEDING DOWN THE RUNWAY FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST TO CHECK THE RUNWAY LIGHTS. THE GROUND CONTROLLER ADVISED THE VEHICLE DRIVER OF THE LANDING TRAFFIC ON A 3-MILE FINAL APPROACH. THE DRIVER TURNED LEFT OFF OF THE RUNWAY AND ONTO TAXIWAY LIMA. THE AIRPORT VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THE AIRCRAFT THAT WAS HOLDING ON THE TAXIWAY. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE OR KNOW OF THE AIRCRAFT UNTIL THE MOMENT OF IMPACT.
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: 645 hours in all; 610 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 558 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,506 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HUB Houston TX
- Destination: CXO Conroe TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31L, 5,150 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from HOU, 10 miles away
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 N5697P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.