Piper PA-31 accident near Brownsville, Texas, February 17, 1984
On February 17, 1984, a Piper PA-31, registered N7415L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brownsville, Texas (Brownsville Int'L airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people had minor injuries. 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
- February 17, 1984
- Place
- Brownsville, Texas · Brownsville Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31 · all PA-31s on the register
- Registration
- N7415L · no longer on the register · serial 31-799
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS MANEUVERING FOR AN ILS APPROACH WHEN HE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. HE SAID HE WAS DISTRACTED BY THE SWINGING CDI AND WAS BELOW THE GLIDE SLOPE. HE SAID HE STARTED TO ADD POWER FOR A MISSED APPROACH AND THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. A PASSENGER SAID HE DID NOT NOTICE ANY CHANGE IN ENGINE SOUNDS DURING THE APPROACH. THE PLT STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE STARTED HIS MISSED APPROACH SOONER.
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: 9,376 hours in all; 9,370 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 9,370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADS Dallas TX at 10:20 pm
- Destination: BRO Brownsville TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 13R, 7,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.