Piper PA-28-140 accident near Grapeland, Texas, December 24, 1984
On December 24, 1984 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5743F, was destroyed in an accident near Grapeland, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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
- December 24, 1984 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grapeland, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5743F · no longer on the register · serial 28-25039
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT HE WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT AT 1400 FEET MSL WHEN HE APPLIED CARBURATOR HEAT AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE DUE TO FAVORABLE CARB ICING CONDITIONS. THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND QUIT WITHIN 2 TO 3 SECONDS. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENG WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES BEFORE FALLING TO THE GROUND.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 11,780 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T56 Crockett TX at 5:45 pm
- Destination: TS6 Crockett TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.