Piper PA-36-300 accident near Lorenzo, Texas, August 23, 1984
On August 23, 1984 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-36-300, registered N2397Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lorenzo, Texas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- August 23, 1984 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lorenzo, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36-300 · all PA-36-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2397Y · no longer on the register · serial 36-8160023
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER COMPLETION OF A SWATH RUN THE ACFT TURNED RIGHT AND THEN LEFT BEFORE IT DESCENDED TO THE GROUND IN A LEFT BANK AND NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. PLT STATED THAT THE ACFT WOULD NOT RECOVER FROM THE LEFT TURN WHEN FULL RIGHT STICK TRAVEL WAS APPLIED. THE ACFT WAS PURCHASED 2 DAYS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT DATE. ACCORDING TO THE PT THE ACFT WAS OUT OF RIG AND REQUIRED MOVEMENT OF CONTROL STICK HALFWAY TO THE RIGHT TO FLY STRAIGHT AND LEVEL. FOUR FLIGHTS WERE MADE BY THE PLT WITH THE ACFT IN THIS CONDITION. THE PLT DID NOT COMPLETE AN NTSB 6120.1 FORM AS REQUESTED BY THE FAA COORDINATOR. BECAUSE OF THIS, MUCH OF THE DATA NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE 6102.4 IS MISSING AND CODED UNK/NR.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from LBB, 20 miles away
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.
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.