Piper PA-23-150 accident near Jayton, Texas, November 11, 1992
On November 11, 1992 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-150, registered N2078P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jayton, Texas (Kent County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED WHILE MANEUVERING FOR LANDING AND ALLOWED THE A/C TO STALL. FACTORS WERE THE LOW CEILINGS, THE PILOTS DISREGARD OF THE FORECAST WEATHER, THE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOTS DELAYED APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 1992 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jayton, Texas · Kent County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-150 · all PA-23-150s on the register
- Registration
- N2078P · no longer on the register · serial 23-665
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RECEIVED WEATHER INFORMATION FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT THAT FORECAST CEILINGS BELOW VFR MINIMUMS WITH DRIZZLE AND FOG FROM A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT. HE PROCEEDED WITH THE FLIGHT AT LOW ALTITUDE AND ENCOUNTERED CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. HE DIVERTED TO A NEAR BY AIRPORT WHERE EYEWITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE MANEUVERING AT AN ALTITUDE LESS THAN 200 FEET AGL AND MAKING SHARP LEFT TURNING MANEUVERS AROUND THE AIRPORT. THE EYEWITNESSES ALSO REPORTED OBSERVING THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE DROP BEFORE THE LEFT WING IMPACTED THE TERRAIN NEAR THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 17. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND WITH A TAILWIND. ACCORDING TO A PASSENGER, THE PILOT HAD BOTH CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROLS ON DURING THE LOW LEVEL MANEUVERS TO KEEP THE RUNWAY IN SIGHT AND CONTINUED TO MANIPULATE THE POWER BEFORE THE AIRSPEED DROPPED AND THE STALL OCCURRED. THE TEMPERATURE OF 46 DEGREES F AND DEW POINT OF 43 DEGREES PLACED THE AIRPLANE IN SERIOUS ICING AT CRUISE POWER.
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: 1,507 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,450 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,405 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 5, 1992; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bridgeport Flt Trng Ctr INC
The flight
- Departed from: Q24 Levelland TX at 3:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,300 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from LBB, 85 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.