Chance Vought F4U-5 accident near Alief, Texas, February 25, 1984
On February 25, 1984 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Chance Vought F4U-5, registered N4903M, was destroyed in an accident near Alief, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1984 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Alief, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Chance Vought F4U-5 · all F4U-5s on the register
- Registration
- N4903M · no longer on the register · serial 122179
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS.THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN AN AREA OF NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION AND WAS FORCED TO DIVE UNDER POWER LINES, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AND SLID TO A STOP IN LESS THAN 75 FT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY A POST CRASH FIRE.
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: 2,200 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 13,297 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-2800-32W (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: AAP Houston TX at 9:00 pm
- Destination: T86 Addicks TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from HOU, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW84LA146.