Piper PA-18-150 accident near Port Lavaca, Texas, April 17, 1991
On April 17, 1991 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4695Y, was destroyed in an accident near Port Lavaca, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT STALL AT AN ALTITUDE TOO LOW FOR RECOVERY. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LOW PASS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1991 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Port Lavaca, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4695Y · registry record · serial 18-7309019
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE EXECUTED A STEEP LEFT TURN, STALLED, AND DESCENDED NOSE LOW INTO A TREE AND THE GROUND WHILE SEARCHING FOR A PIPE LEAK IN AN OIL FIELD. INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED ADEQAUTE FUEL, CONTINUITY AND NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. ENGINE DISASSEMBLY FAILED TO UNCOVER ANY DISCREPANCY. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING LOW TO THE GROUND AND SLOWED DOWN TO WATCH. THE WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE CIRCLE AND GO DOWN.
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: 401 hours in all; 337 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 401 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE El Maton TX at 7:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.