Cessna 140 accident near Hempstead, Texas, April 23, 1994
On April 23, 1994 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N2302N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hempstead, Texas (Hempstead airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER SELECTION OF THE STRIP BETWEEN THE TWO RUNWAYS. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRSTRIP AND THE SOFT, WET TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1994 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hempstead, Texas · Hempstead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2302N · registry record · serial 12542
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PLANNED TO PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT AN UNFAMILIAR PRIVATE/GLIDER STRIP. HE SET UP HIS APPROACH ON THE STRIP BETWEEN THE TWO RUNWAYS. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A SOFT WET AREA AND NOSED OVER. THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND LEFT WING STRUT WERE STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT FLEW HIS APPROACH TO WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE MAIN STRIP. HE WAS UNAWARE THAT HE WAS LANDING IN THE UNIMPROVED AREA BETWEEN THE PARALLEL RUNWAYS.
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: 420 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 345 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,689 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 11R Brenham TX at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from IAH, 47 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW94LA143.