Piper PA-28-161 accident near League City, Texas, July 27, 1993
On July 27, 1993 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N3079M, was substantially damaged in an accident near League City, Texas (Houston Gulf airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
VISUAL LOOKOUT NOT MAINTAINED BY THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE. A FACTOR WAS THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE BECOMING INADVERTENTLY LOST.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1993 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- League City, Texas · Houston Gulf · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N3079M · registry record · serial 28-7816336
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO TAXI HIS AIRPLANE TO RUNWAY 13 FOR DEPARTURE AT THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. THE DRIVER OF A MOTOR VEHICLE WAS LOST AND INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE TAXIWAY AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TOWARD THE AIRPLANE. AS THE PILOT MOVED HIS AIRPLANE TOWARD THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TAXIWAY, THE VEHICLE IMPACTED THE LEFT WING WHICH SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME.
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: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 165 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,181 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 1993; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ellington Flying Club
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 228° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft; not recorded at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from HOU, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N3079M 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.