Piper PA-34-200T accident near Dallas, Texas, January 20, 1994
On January 20, 1994, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N123AH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dallas, Texas (Dallas-Redbird 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S DISORIENTATION AND DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 1994
- Place
- Dallas, Texas · Dallas-Redbird · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N123AH · no longer on the register · serial 34-8070149
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING TAKEOFF, THE PILOT NOTICED THE UPPER DOOR LATCH ON THE CABIN ENTRY DOOR WAS NOT SECURE. HE DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT FOR LANDING AND SECURE THE DOOR BEFORE CONTINUING HIS FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE TOWER CONTROLLER, THE PILOT BECAME GEOGRAPHICALLY DISORIENTED FLYING BENEATH THE CLOUDS AND SHE ASSISTED HIM IN FINDING THE AIRPORT. SHE THEN OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE LAND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,097 hours in all; 2,200 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 4,772 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,147 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1993; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-EB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: JCT Junction TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 3,801 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.