Piper PA-31P accident near Presidio, Texas, February 15, 1984
On February 15, 1984 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-31P, registered N3PN, was destroyed in an accident near Presidio, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 4 people 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
- February 15, 1984 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Presidio, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31P · all PA-31Ps on the register
- Registration
- N3PN · registry record · serial 31P-70
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A X-COUNTRY FLT THE PLT COULD NOT LOCATE A REFUELING STOP AND LANDED 100 MILES AWAY. NO REFUELING WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND HE DECIDED TO GO ON TO HIS DESTINATION WITH THE FUEL REMAINING. ENROUTE HIS RIGHT ENGINE COUGHED AND HEREALIZED HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. AFTER SWITCHING TO CROSSFEED NORMAL ENGINE OPERATION WAS RESTORED. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ONLY ABOUT 3 MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION HE DECIDED TO LAND ON A 4000 FT DIRT AGRICULTURAL AIRSTRIP WHICH HE SAW DIRECTLY BELOW HIM. HE FORCED THE ACFT DOWN AND LANDED DOWNWIND AT HIGH SPEED ABOUT MIDWAY DOWN THE RWY. THE ACFT DID NOT STOP ON THE RWY AND OVERRAN INTO A DIRT BANK AND A FENCE. THE LANDING GEAR WAS KNOCKED OFF AND THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE FOR 700 MORE FT BEFORE IMPACTING AND TUMBLING. THE ACFT CAME TO REST INVERTED ABOUT 825 FT PAST THE DIRT BANK. A FIRE DEVELOPED IN THE LEFT WING AND CONSUMED MOST OF THE AREA IN THE VICINITY OF THE LEFT FUEL TANK OUTBOARD OF THE LEFT ENGINE. THE PLT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO MALFUNCTIONS OF THE ACFT OR SYSTEMS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,207 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,014 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIGO-541-E1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: TX07 Precidio TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 4 |
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.