Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Arcola, Texas, February 19, 1983
On February 19, 1983 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N47976, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arcola, Texas (Arcola airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- February 19, 1983 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Arcola, Texas · Arcola · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N47976 · no longer on the register · serial 32R7880030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 10 WITH A WIND FROM THE SOUTHEAST & GUSTING. HE REPORTED THAT A STRONG GUST CAUGHT THE ACFT JUST AT TOUCHDOWN, CAUSING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR TO CONTACT A SOFT SHOULDER WHICH SLOPED AWAY FROM THE PAVEMENT. REPORTEDLY, THIS PULLED THE ACFT OFF OF THE RUNWAY. THE PLT CORRECTED THE HEADING & PARALLELED THE RUNWAY. HOWEVER, DURING THE ROLL-OUT, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR CONTACTED THE RAISED LIP OF A CROSSING TAXIWAY & COLLAPSED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 333 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 249 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,935 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AAP Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N47976 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.