Piper PA-28R-200 accident near San Antonio, Texas, May 15, 1994
On May 15, 1994 at about 4:04 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N56971, was destroyed in an accident near San Antonio, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER. THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 1994 · about 4:04 am local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N56971 · registry record · serial 28R-7435066
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER SHOOTING AN ILS APPROACH AND BREAKING OUT, THE PILOT TERMINATED THE APPROACH AND PROCEEDED TO HIS HOME BASE AIR STRIP. HE STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE DURING THE APPROACH AND EN ROUTE TO THE STRIP, TO THE POINT THAT HE HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING ALTITUDE. THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGHOUT THE AREA. HE SAID THAT THE LAST THING THAT HE AND THE PASSENGER RECALLED ABOUT THE FLIGHT WAS BEING SET UP ON A RIGHT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 16 WITH THE GEAR DOWN. HE STATED THAT THE NEXT THING HE REMEMBERED WAS BEING ON THE GROUND AND STOPPED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED A MICROBURST THAT FORCED THE AIRPLANE DOWN.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GPT Gulfport MS at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from SAT, 12 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.