Piper PA-23-250 accident near Fort Worth, Texas, March 6, 1984
On March 6, 1984 at about 4:53 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N777RG, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas (Meacham Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- March 6, 1984 · about 4:53 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Meacham Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N777RG · registry record · serial 27-4216
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD NEAR THE ARPT WHEN THE RIGHT ENGINE STOPPED AT ABOUT 50-100 FT AGL DURING A TOUCH AND GO LANDING. THE CFI ABOARD SAID HE HAD POSITIONED THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR TO THE INBOARD TANKS PRIOR TO THE LAST APPROACH OR THE ONE BEFORE AND DID NOT TOUCH THEM AGAIN. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION SHOWED THE LEFT SELECTOR WAS ON THE INBOARD TANK. THE RIGHT SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO OFF AND THE CROSSFEED CONTROL WAS OFF. DURING THEEMERGENCY THE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT RETRACTED A RIGHT ENGINE RESTART WAS NOT ATTEMPTED. THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS NOT FEATHERED AND A TURN OF 145 DEGREES WAS MADE INTO THE 'DEAD' ENGINE. A RWY ALIGNED WITH THE TAKEOFF RWY WAS LESS THAN 3 MILES AHEAD. THE ACFT LANDED GEAR DOWN AND FLAPS UP. BOTH MAIN GEAR SEPARATED ON LANDING. WHEN THE FUEL SYSTEM, WAS PROPERLY POSITIONED AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND THE ACFT PUT ON A FLATBED BOTH ENGINES OPERATED SATISFACTORILY.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 581 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 192 in the last 90 days; 474 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,024 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 28, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTW Ft. Worth TX at 3:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from FTW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.