Piper PA-38-112 accident near Graford, Texas, July 21, 1985
On July 21, 1985 at about 7:20 am local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2323E, was destroyed in an accident near Graford, Texas (Possum Kingdom airport). 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
- July 21, 1985 · about 7:20 am local time
- Place
- Graford, Texas · Possum Kingdom
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2323E · registry record · serial 3878A0442
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ARRIVED IN THE MINERAL WELLS, TX, AREA, HIS INTENDED DESTINATION, AND STATED HE COULDN'T SEE THE AIRPORT DUE TO THE ROTATING BEACON AND RUNWAY LIGHTS NOT OPERATING. NOTAMED TO THIS EFFECT, HOWEVER, THE AIRPORT SUPERVISOR STATED THAT TO THE BEST OF HIS KNOWLEDGE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE OPERATING. THE PILOT DIVERTED TO POSSUM KINGDOM AIRPORT NEAR GRAFORD, TX. WITH ONLY A FEW MINUTES OF USABLE FUEL. HE ARRIVED IN THE AREA AT 7000 FEET MSL AND STARTED TO SPIRAL DOWN OVER THE AIRPORT. DURING THE SPIRAL, AT 6000 FEET MSL, THE ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION, THE SPIRAL CONTINUED AND HE ROLLED OUT ON FINAL APPROACH TOO HIGH AND FAST. HE DELIBERATELY TOUCHED DOWN BESIDE THE RUNWAY IN SOFT TERRAIN TO PREVENT AN OVERRUN WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH BUILDINGS. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS RATHER HARD, CAUSING THE NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEARS TO COLLAPSE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN FLIPPED INVERTED AND STOPPED.
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: 129 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 83 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,175 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1985; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVW Plainview TX at 4:30 am
- Destination: MWL Mineral Wells TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:50 am from FTW
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.