Piper PA-20 accident near Martinsville, Texas, March 10, 1983
On March 10, 1983 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N4944M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Martinsville, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 10, 1983 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Martinsville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N4944M · no longer on the register · serial 20-630
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
REPORTEDLY, THE PLT TOOK OFF WITH 36 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD, OF WHICH, 10 GALS WAS AUTOMOBILE LOW LEAD FUEL. THE AUTOMOBILE FUEL HAD BEEN PURCHASED FROM AN OFF AIRPORT GASOLINE STATION, WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE ACFT IN 5 GAL CANS, THEN ADDED TO THE FUEL TANKS WITH A FILTERED SPOUT. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE BURNED FUEL FROM THE RIGHT TANK UNTIL THE ENGINE QUIT WHILE THE RIGHT GAGE INDICATED APRX 1/4 FULL. HE RESTARTED THE ENGINE & CONTINUED, USING THE LEFT TANK. THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN WHEN THE LEFT FUEL GAGE INDICATE APRX 1/2 FULL. THE ACFT WAS OVER A HILLY & WOODED AREA AT 4500 FT MSL. THE PLT FOUND A SUITABLE AREA FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING, BUT THE RIGHT WING OF THE ACFT HIT A TREE SHORT OF THE AREA. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE GASCOLATOR WAS CLOGGED WITH UNIDENTIFIED CONTAMINANTS. THE GASCOLATOR WAS DRAINED & CHECKED DURING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, 13 FLT HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. BEFORE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION, THE ACFT HAD BEEN IN STORAGE FOR 10 YRS.
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: 221 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 188 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 996 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 7, 1982; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T02 Houston TX at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 21TX Texarkana TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from LFK, 38 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 N4944M 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.