Piper PA-23 accident near Catarina, Texas, August 13, 1983
On August 13, 1983 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-23, registered N3003P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Catarina, Texas (Briscoes 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
- August 13, 1983 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Catarina, Texas · Briscoes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23 · all PA-23s on the register
- Registration
- N3003P · no longer on the register · serial 23-913
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED DURING LANDING ROLLOUT AT CATARINA, TX. THE PLT IDENTIFED HIMSELF AS LARRY DAY FROM CHATTANOOGA, TN. HE CLAIMED TO HAVE HAD ENGINE TROUBLE AND WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND THE GEAR FOR LANDING. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM REVEALED DAMAGE INDICATING THE GEAR WAS RETRACTED DURING LANDING ROLLOUT. SOMEONE HAD TRIED TO RAISE THE ACFT AND STRAIGHTEN THE PROPELLERS PRIOR TO THE INVESTIGATION. LATER A MR. LAWRENCE C. DAY OF HIXSON, TN WAS LOCATED. HE SAID SOMEONE HAD BEEN USING HIS NAME WHOSE DESCRIPTION MATCHED THAT OFTHE PLT OF N3003P. EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY THE PLT AND PASSENGERS OF THE ACCIDENT ACFT HAD BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,469 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 1981; 115 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,490 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- 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.