Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Fort Worth, Texas, November 11, 1990
On November 11, 1990 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N8733E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas (Spinks airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGMENT OF AIRPLANE ATTITUDE, AIRSPEED AND DISTANCE WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 1990 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Spinks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N8733E · registry record · serial 28R-7635207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FOREIGN PILOT UNDERGOING FLIGHT TRAINING TO BECOME A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, AND HIS INSTRUCTOR PILOT, WERE ON A LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT TO REVIEW BASIC AIRWORK AND PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND LANDING AT A LOCAL AIRPORT. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO A PRACTICE SHORT FIELD LANDING, THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRSPEED TO DISSIPATE AND THE RATE OF DESCENT TO BECOME EXCESSIVE, RESULTING IN LANDING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY LANDING THRESHOLD. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS TORN OFF THE AIRCRAFT ON INITIAL CONTACT. THE AIRCRAFT SLID OFF THE RUNWAY, COMING TO A STOP IN THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. BOTH PILOTS ESCAPED INJURIES DESPITE THE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE INCURRED BY THE AIRPLANE.
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: commercial pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 272 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 146 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pegasus Flight Center, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: FTW Fort Worth TX at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,002 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:52 pm from FTW, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.