Piper PA-28-140 accident near Fredericksburg, Texas, November 9, 1993
On November 9, 1993 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N6776W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fredericksburg, Texas. 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S UTILIZATION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 1993 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fredericksburg, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6776W · no longer on the register · serial 28-20904
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS FORCED BY LOW CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES TO LAND IN A PASTURE 8 MILES FROM HIS INTENDED DESTINATION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RECOVER THE AIRPLANE BACK TO THE AIRPORT ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE AIRPLANE CLEARED A FENCE AT THE END OF THE PASTURE, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO CLEAR THE TOP OF THE 20 TO 25 FOOT TALL TREES SURROUNDING THE PASTURE.
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: 514 hours in all; 514 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,704 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 8, 1993; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:22 pm from SAT, 59 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.
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.