Piper PA-28-140 accident near Georgetown, Texas, June 24, 1986
On June 24, 1986 at about 3:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N3737K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Georgetown, Texas (Georgetown airport). It was an instructional 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
- June 24, 1986 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Georgetown, Texas · Georgetown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N3737K · registry record · serial 28-23714
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING NIGHT LANDINGS TO HIS STUDENT PILOT, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT ON TOUCHDOWN. THE INSTRUCTOR THOUGHT HIS STUDENT WAS ON THE RIGHT RUDDER, BUT FAILED TO OVERRIDE HIM BY APPLYING LEFT RUDDER. THE NEXT MORNING REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT HAD COLLIDED WITH A DEER ON TOUCHDOWN AND HAD CONTINUED TO DRAG THE DEER SOME DISTANCE WITH THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER TO THE RIGHT.
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: 772 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 612 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,463 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,100 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from AUS, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.