Piper PA-32RT-300T accident near Addison, Texas, September 10, 1990
On September 10, 1990 at about 2:11 am local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T, registered N36720, was destroyed in an accident near Addison, Texas (Addison airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE CABLE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND OBJECTS (FENCE AND UTILITY POLES) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 1990 · about 2:11 am local time
- Place
- Addison, Texas · Addison · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300T PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300Ts on the register
- Registration
- N36720 · no longer on the register · serial 36720
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT DURING A FLARE TO LAND, HE NOTED A 'CLICK' AS HE MOVED THE THROTTLE TO THE IDLE POSITION & THERE WAS NO REDUCTION IN ENG POWER. HE STATED THE THROTTLE SEEMED VERY LOOSE & DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CONNECTED TO THE ENG. THE ENG WENT TO FULL POWER & THE TURBOCHARGER OVERBOOST LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WITH AN AIRSPEED OF 120 KTS, HE ABORTED THE LANDING. AS HE ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER THE ACFT TO LAND, THE ENG POWER WENT TO A MID-POWER RANGE, THEN SURGED TO A HIGHER RANGE. THE PLT WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN OFF-ARPT LANDING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE & LIGHT POLES, THEN A FIRE ERUPTED & THE PLANE WAS DESROYED. AN EXAM REVEALED THE THROTTLE CABLE HAD FAILED FROM HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE UNCONTROLLED ENG CONDITION.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,566 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 4,941 as pilot in command; 1,743 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Center-Line Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: RSG Rock Springs TX
- Destination: ADS Addison TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 7,201 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:11 am from ADS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.