Piper PA-28-140 accident near Roanoke, Texas, February 5, 1990
On February 5, 1990, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N33052, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roanoke, Texas (N.W. Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PARTIAL POWER LOSS DUE TO A FAILED EXHAUST VALVE AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SPEED DURING THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 1990
- Place
- Roanoke, Texas · N.W. Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N33052 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7525145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AFTER THE PILOT STALLED IT AND LOST CONTROL DURING A PRECUATIONARY LANDING FOLLOWING A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE #4 EXHAUST VALVE. INITIALLY THE PILOT WAS GOING TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT A NEARBY AIRPORT, HOWEVER, WHEN HE TURNED FINAL HE SAW THAT HE HAD OPPOSING TRAFFIC. HE TURNED AWAY FROM THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE AND ENCOUNTERED HIGH TENSION LINES THAT HE COULD NOT CLEAR. THE PILOT THEN TURNED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. DURING THE SECOND TURN, THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. DUE TO SMEARING OF THE FRACTURE SURFACES THE ORIGIN OF THE FAILURE OF THE VALVE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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: 385 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 337 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,157 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 1989; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 23F Keller TX at 10:20 pm
- Destination: 23F
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,500 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from DFW, 18 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.