Piper PA-28-140 accident near Athens, Texas, March 17, 1985
On March 17, 1985 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N15131, was destroyed in an accident near Athens, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 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
- March 17, 1985 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N15131 · no longer on the register · serial 287225582
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES AND DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED INTO THE TERRAIN DURING AN INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB. THE TAKEOFF WAS MADE ON A 1830 FT SOD STRIP WHICH IS BORDERED ON THE DEPARTURE END BY TREES. THE PLT STATED HE USED FULL THROTTLE (2400-2450 RPM) BUT ONLY ACHIEVED 60-63 MPH. HE CONTINUED TO REPORT THAT ONCE BECOMING AIRBORNE, THE ACFT WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT AND AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT WAS ENTERED. THE LEFT WING CONTACTED TREES AFTER WHICH THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PLT REPORTED THE STALL WARNING CAME ON EARLY IN THE TAKEOFF BUT HE CORRECTED THE SITUATION BY LOWERING THE NOSE.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 313 hours in all; 249 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 313 as pilot in command; 127 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,859 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 1984; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.