Piper PA-38-112 accident near Electra, Texas, July 10, 1988
On July 10, 1988 at about 1:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2459K, was destroyed in an accident near Electra, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- July 10, 1988 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- Electra, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2459K · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0642
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT'S LOGBOOK INDICATED HE HAD A CHECKOUT ON STEEP TURNS AND SPINS TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE ALSO LOGGED FOUR LANDINGS DURING THE SAME ONE-HALF HOUR FLIGHT. A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE COMPLETE A THREE TURN SPIN AND SAW IT START TO RECOVER BEFORE HE LOST SIGHT OF IT BEHIND A HILL. HE DID NOT SEE ANY DUST OR FIRE AND ASSUMED IT HAD RECOVERED UNTIL SEVERAL DAYS LATER WHEN HE HEARD AN AIRPLANE WAS MISSING. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED LEVEL TERRAIN IN A NOSE LOW, RIGHT WING SLIGHTLY DOWN FROM AN APPROXIMATE 45 DEGREE ANGLE DOWN FLIGHT PATH.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 145 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 120 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,285 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 22, 1988; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F14 Wichita Falls TX at 12:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:51 pm from SPS, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N2459K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.