Piper PA-24-260 accident near Tennesse Colony, Texas, September 18, 1994
On September 18, 1994 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N9159P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tennesse Colony, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND THE RESULTANT INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. A FACTOR WAS THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 1994 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Tennesse Colony, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9159P · no longer on the register · serial 24-4646
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DISCUSSED PRACTICING STALLS. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED MANEUVERING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 3,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHEN WITNESSES HEARD A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AN INCREASE OF ENGINE POWER, FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER PRIOR TO OBSERVING THE AIRPLANE NOSE DOWN AND SPINNING TOWARD THE GROUND. ONE WITNESS DESCRIBED THE AIRPLANE AS TRYING TO 'PULL OUT OF THE MANEUVER BUT RAN OUT OF ALTITUDE AND HIT THE TREES AND GROUND.' ANOTHER WITNESS DESCRIBED THE AIRPLANE AS 'DOING TRICKS' AND 'NOSE DOWN DOING CLOCKWISE SPINS IN TIGHT ROTATION.' THE AIRPLANE THEN 'OPENED UP IN MORE OF A FLAT SPIN LIKE THE NOSE WAS COMING UP.' THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL TO GROUND IMPACT. PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT ALSO STRUCK SEVERAL TREES. DURING THE FIELD EXAMINATION THE FUEL FLOW DIVIDER COVER WAS REMOVED TO CHECK FOR FUEL AND NONE WAS FOUND. DURING A SUBSEQUENT ENGINE EXAMINATION THE UPPER FUEL DIVIDER DIAPHRAGM WAS FOUND RUPTURED. NTSB METALLURGISTS EXAMINATION REVEALED TWO TEARS IN THE DIAPHRAGM; HOWEVER, THE TIME OF RUPTURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED TOWARD SUBSTANTIATING THE LOSS OF ENGINE 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 297 hours in all; 122 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 237 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSN Palestine TX at 5:00 am
- Destination: TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from RBD, 84 miles away
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.