Piper PA-28-161 accident near Lake Dallas, Texas, October 29, 1986
On October 29, 1986 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8289N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Dallas, Texas (Lakeview airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- October 29, 1986 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Dallas, Texas · Lakeview · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8289N · no longer on the register · serial 28-8116074
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL FLT, THE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING ON A 2800 FT RWY AT LAKE DALLAS, TX. HE SAID THAT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE 1ST QUARTER OF THE RWY, THEN HE LOWERED THE NOSE, RETRACTED THE FLAPS & APPLIED FULL POWER TO TAKEOFF. HOWEVER, HE REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT INCREASE IN SPEED, SO HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING RWY & ANGLED OFF THE RWY TO THE LEFT TO AVOID A DYKE. HOWEVER, AFTER LEAVING THE RWY, THE RGT WING OF THE ACFT STRUCK A GUY WIRE & THE ACFT VEERED BACK TO THE RGT & HIT THE DYKE. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE DID NOT CHECK THE WEIGHT & BALANCE BEFORE TAKING OFF WITH 3 PAX & A FULL LOAD OF FUEL. HE BELIEVED THAT THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS OVERWEIGHT. HE NOTED THAT THE RWY AT LAKE DALLAS WAS 2200 FT SHORTER THAN THE RWY AT THE DEPARTURE ARPT.
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: 158 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 105 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,027 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 7, 1986; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Denton TX at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,815 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from DAL, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.