Piper PA-23-160 accident near El Campo, Texas, March 8, 1985
On March 8, 1985 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-160, registered N3438P, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Campo, Texas (Coastal Airpark airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- March 8, 1985 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- El Campo, Texas · Coastal Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N3438P · no longer on the register · serial 23-140G
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ATTEMPTING A SINGLE-ENGINE TAKE-OFF, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VMC OR RETRACT THE LANDING GEAR. HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,700 hours in all; 254 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 14,720 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1984; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TX09 El Campo TX at 9:30 pm
- Destination: 26R Edna TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from PSX, 25 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.