Piper PA-28-181 accident near Mt. Vernon, Texas, April 17, 1986
On April 17, 1986, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N2122L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Vernon, Texas (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- April 17, 1986
- Place
- Mt. Vernon, Texas · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N2122L · registry record · serial 28-7990257
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED LANDING AT ABOVE NORMAL SPEED, WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AT TOUCHDOWN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY ONTO WET GRASS. DO TO THE SLIPPERY CONDITIONS, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN SLIDING UNTIL IT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE 100 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. A FENCE POST CAUGHT THE RIGHT WING, CAUSING THE RIGHT WING TO DISLODGE FROM THE FUSELAGE.
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: 117 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,488 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1985; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RBD Redbird TX at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,200 ft by 180 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.