Piper PA-23-150 accident near Justin, Texas, March 19, 1985
On March 19, 1985 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-150, registered N2154P, was destroyed in an accident near Justin, Texas (Clark airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 19, 1985 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Justin, Texas · Clark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-150 · all PA-23-150s on the register
- Registration
- N2154P · registry record · serial 23-150
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS A MULT-ENGINE FLT CHECK GIVEN BY A DESIGNATED EXAMINER TO THE COMMERCIAL PLT. ACCORDING TO THE EXAMINER THE RIGHT ENG, WHICH WAS STILL HOT FROM THE PREVIOUS FLT, WOULD NOT START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL START OF THE LEFT ENG THE APPLICANT AGAIN TRIED TO START THE RIGHT ENG WHEN SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM BENEATH THE RIGHT NACELLE. COCKPIT EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND EXTINGUISHING EFFORTS BY GROUND PERSONNEL FAILED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE EXAMINER OPENED THE DOOR AND INITIATED EVACUATION OF THE CABIN. BOTH CREWMEMBERS SAFELY ABANDONED THE ACFT WITHOUT SECURING THE LEFT ENG. THE BURNING ACFT TAXIED OUT OF CONTROL INTO A PARKED AG ACFT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 221 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 145 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1984; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.