Piper PA-32-300T accident near Saginaw, Texas, January 11, 1986
On January 11, 1986 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300T, registered N82072, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saginaw, Texas (Saginaw airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- January 11, 1986 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Saginaw, Texas · Saginaw · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300T · all PA-32-300Ts on the register
- Registration
- N82072 · registry record · serial 32-8124031
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT LONG DEPARTED BIG SPRING, TEXAS WITH TWO PASSENGERS VFR TO SAGINAW AIRPORT, SAGINAW, TEXAS. THE PILOT WAS FLYING TO MWL, VOR 065 RADIAL, DESCENDING TO PATTERN ALTITUDE AT SAGINAW AIRPORT. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD NOT BEEN TO THAT AIRPORT PREVIOUSLY. HEAVY SMOKE FROM A GRASS FIRE BURNOFF WAS OBSCURING A LARGE AREA TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE SAGINAW AIRPORT RUNWAY. PILOT LONG ENTERED THE SMOKE AREA, IDENTIFIED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A RUNWAY AND LANDED. THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON A STREET APPROXIMATELY 3/4 MILE EAST OF SAGINAW AIRPORT AND STRUCK A TWO-INCH PIPE WARNING SIGN RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING. THERE WAS NO FIRE AND NO INJURIES. THE ELT WAS NOT ACTIVATED. THE FAA INVESTIGATOR WAS AT THE TAKEOFF END OF THE SAGINAW AIRPORT AT THE TIME OF THIS ACCIDENT AND OBSERVED THE HEAVY GRASS FIRE SMOKE OBSCURING A LARGE AREA ACROSS THE APPROACH END TO SAGINAW AIRPORT AND THE ILS FINAL APPROACH COURSE TO MEACHAM FIELD. PILOT LONG IS BLIND IN HIS LEFT EYE.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 388 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 8, 1985; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T10-540 SPAD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Big Spring TX at 3:45 pm
- Destination: Saginaw TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,600 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from FTW, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.