Piper PA-34-200 accident near Denton, Texas, August 8, 1990
On August 8, 1990 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N15515, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denton, Texas (Denton Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S FAILURE TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT IN A TIMELY MANNER, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL. A FACTOR WAS THE INSTRUCTOR'S FAILURE TO ASSUME CONTROL OF THE THROTTLES, AND AIRCRAFT ENGINE OUT CAPABILITY EXCEEDED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1990 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Denton, Texas · Denton Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N15515 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7350071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT WAS SUPERVISING THE STUDENT PILOT IN THE CONDUCT OF A SINGLE-ENGINE APPROACH AND LANDING. THE NIGHT APPROACH WAS CONTINUED TO A SHORT FINAL. THE INSTRUCTOR ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, DUE TO OVER-CONTROLLING ON THE PART OF THE STUDENT PILOT. HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND, REQUESTING THAT THE STUDENT PILOT ADVANCE THE THROTTLES. HE DID NOT VERIFY THAT THE THROTTLES HAD BEEN ADVANCED. CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WAS LOST, WHEN VMC WAS NOT MAINTAINED.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,411 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 166 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 1,287 as pilot in command; 912 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,494 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 3, 1990; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-LE16 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: H2Q Mesquite TX at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.