Amateur-built S-1 accident near Alvarado, Texas, May 30, 1994
On May 30, 1994 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built S-1, registered N34PD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alvarado, Texas (Luscombe Acres 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 IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. A FACTOR WAS THE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1994 · about 7:00 pm local time · cases in 1994
- Place
- Alvarado, Texas · Luscombe Acres · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built S-1
- Registration
- N34PD · registry record · serial 45
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING TO THE SOUTH ON A GRASS RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE BALLOONED WHEN IT HIT A BUMP. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED RIGHT AS IT SETTLED BACK TO THE RUNWAY AND THE RIGHT LOWER WING AILERON AERODYNAMIC SHOVEL BECAME ENTANGLED IN TWO FOOT HIGH GRASS THAT WAS ADJACENT TO THE MOWED RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE YAWED FURTHER RIGHT AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR PARTIALLY COLLAPSED. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THE WINDS WERE FROM 110 DEGREES AT 5 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 10 KNOTS.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 8,751 hours in all; 756 in this make and model; 174 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 628 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 1994; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6XS2 at 6:40 pm
- Destination: 6XS2
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N34PD on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A 65 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Luscombe Acres Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,064 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,966 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW94LA186.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.