Piper PA-24-250 accident near Ratcliff, Texas, January 16, 1994
On January 16, 1994 at about 6:58 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N6522P, was destroyed in an accident near Ratcliff, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND ALLOWED IT TO EXCEED ITS DESIGN STRESS LIMITS, WHICH RESULTED IN OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE STABILATORS AND RIGHT OUTBOARD WING SECTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 1994 · about 6:58 pm local time
- Place
- Ratcliff, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6522P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1644
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DEPARTING ON A FLIGHT FROM GALVESTON TO TYLER,TEXAS, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ALONG THE ROUTE NEAR RATCLIFF, TEXAS. WITNESSES INDICATED THAT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, THE AIRCRAFT WAS MANEUVERING IN THE AREA. ACCORDING TO THEM, THERE WAS AN INTERUPTION IN THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE, THEN IT REVVED TO A HIGH POWER SETTING AS THE AIRCRAFT WENT INTO A DIVE & CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE AIRCRAFT OCCURRED. BOTH HORIZONTAL STABILATORS & THE OUTBOARD SECTION OF THE RIGHT WING HAD FAILED. THEY WERE FOUND ABOUT 400 FEET SHORT OF WHERE THE MAIN WRECKAGE HAD IMPACTED. ABOUT 28 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST AT LUFKIN, THE WEATHER WAS IN PART: 1200' BROKEN, 4 MILES VISIBILITY WITH HAZE, FOG & DRIZZLE. ONE WITNESS ESTIMATED THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING AT ABOUT 1000' AGL WHEN HE FIRST SAW IT. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT VERIFY WHETHER THE AIRPLANE WAS MANEUVERING ABOVE OR BELOW THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS BEFORE IT BROKE UP.
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: 717 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,894 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 28, 1993; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GLS Galveston TX at 5:00 pm
- Destination: TYR Tyler TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:24 pm from LFK, 28 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.