Piper PA-28-181 accident near Wichita Falls, Texas, June 30, 1992
On June 30, 1992 at about 8:28 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N5889V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wichita Falls, Texas (Sheppard/Muni airport). It was a personal 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 FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 1992 · about 8:28 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita Falls, Texas · Sheppard/Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N5889V · registry record · serial 28-7790507
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING AT A HIGHER THAN NORMAL AIRSPEED, THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT OFF OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A RUNWAY DISTANCE REMAINING MARKER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE COULD NOT REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. EXAMINATION OF THE NOSE GEAR AND STEERING SYSTEM DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. AN 8 KNOT, 40 DEGREE CROSSWIND FROM THE LEFT EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 241 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 241 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,861 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 17, 1992; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 5:55 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N5889V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.