Piper PA-32-260 accident near Clinton, Oklahoma, December 28, 1989
On December 28, 1989 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3809W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clinton, Oklahoma (Clinton Muni 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
PILOTS FAILURE TO CORRECTLY MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH, WHICH CAUSED HIM TO IMPACT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1989 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Clinton, Oklahoma · Clinton Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3809W · registry record · serial 32-739
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A BRIGHT NIGHT APPROACH THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN 12-15 FT SHORT OF THE RWY. THE PILOT STATED WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR AND THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ACFT.
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: 960 hours in all; 149 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 960 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (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: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OK16 Owasso OK at 11:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:50 pm from CSM
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.