Piper PA-23-250 accident near Waco, Texas, November 13, 1983
On November 13, 1983 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N989EB, was destroyed in an accident near Waco, Texas (Madison Cooper airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured. 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
- November 13, 1983 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Waco, Texas · Madison Cooper
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N989EB · no longer on the register · serial 27-7654052
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD CLIMBED TO ABOUT 7,500 FT WHEN THE PLT ENCOUNTERED AN OVERSPEEDING LEFT ENG. HE TURNED BACK TOWARD WACO & FEATHERED THE LEFT PROP. WHILE RECEIVING EMERGENCY VECTORS TO AN ARPT THE RIGHT ENG QUIT. WHILE BREAKING OUT OF THE OVERCAST THE PLT SAW A PASTURE & PUMPED THE GEAR DOWN. THE ACFT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE PASTURE & COLLIDED WITH TREES. SCORING WAS FOUND ON THE CUP OF THE LEFT PROP GOVERNOR, WHICH WAS EVIDENCE OF AN OVERSPEED CONDITION. HOWEVER, FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE GOVERNOR DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE THAT WOULD HAE CAUSED AN OVERSPEED CONDITION. NO PREIMPACT FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF EITHER ENG WAS FOUND.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,383 hours in all; 1,339 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 3,233 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,640 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1983; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MGM Montgomery AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded at 400 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Observation at 5:41 pm from ACT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.