Piper PA-28-235 accident near Houston, Texas, September 27, 1987
On September 27, 1987 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9296W, was destroyed in an accident near Houston, Texas (West Houston airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- September 27, 1987 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · West Houston
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9296W · no longer on the register · serial 28-10973
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING INTO TREES AFTER HE EXPERIENCED AN INFLIGHT FIRE AND ENG FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER T/O. THE LNDG IN THE TREES WAS EXECUTED AFTER THE PLT DECIDED THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE IT TO A CLEAR AREA. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FIRE HAD INITIATED IN THE AREA OF THE MUFFLER AND CARBURETOR. EXAMINATION OF THE MUFFLER REVEALED THAT IT HAD WRINKLED AND CRACKED AS A RESULT OF SEVERE OXIDATION AND NORMAL HEAT EXPANSION. ANALYSIS OF THE EXHAUST DEPOSITS ON THE CRACK SURFACES AND THE EXTERIOR SKIN OF THE MUFFLER INDICATED THAT THE MUFFLER HAD BEEN CRACKED FOR SOME TIME PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE ACFT HAD RECEIVED AN ANNUAL 278 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, BUT HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED FOR THE 3 YRS PRIOR TO THE LAST INSPECTION. THERE WERE NO RECORDS SHOWING WHERE THE MUFFLER HAD EVER BEEN OVERHAULED OR REPLACED DURING THE ACFT'S 2,650 HR HISTORY. MFGR RECOMMENDS MUFFLER REPLACEMENT EVERY 1,000 HRS.
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: 507 hours in all; 233 in this make and model; 103 in the last 90 days; 453 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,345 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1987; 278 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: T86 at 9:28 pm
- Destination: AAP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 4,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from DWH, 25 miles away
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.