Piper PA-38 accident near Crystal City, Texas, October 14, 1983
On October 14, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-38, registered N2395L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crystal City, Texas (Cometa Farms airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- October 14, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal City, Texas · Cometa Farms
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38 · all PA-38s on the register
- Registration
- N2395L · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0692
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING ON A RANCH STRIP, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED & SUDDEN GUST OF WIND & DRIFTED OFF THE PAVEMENT. THE WING & GEAR OF THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TALL SUNFLOWER THAT WERE GROWING BESIDE THE STRIP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE WIND WAS FROM 100 DEG AT 15 GUSTING 20 KTS.
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: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 38 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Temple TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N2395L 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.