Cessna L-19E accident near Palo Pinto, Texas, August 30, 1985
On August 30, 1985 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Cessna L-19E, registered N3255X, was destroyed in an accident near Palo Pinto, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- August 30, 1985 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Palo Pinto, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna L-19E · all L-19Es on the register
- Registration
- N3255X · registry record · serial 24518
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS REPORTED BY WITNESSES TO HAVE BEEN FLYING VERY LOW OVER A LAKE JUST PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH PWR LINES AFTER PASSING OVER A DAM AND WAS DESTROYED ON GROUND IMPACT. THE PLT REPORTED A LOSS PWR WAS EXPERIENCED.THE ENG WAS TEST RUN WITH NO INDICATION OF A PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTION FOUND.
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; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 350 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-15 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TX05 Mckinney TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:46 pm 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.