Piper PA-32-300 accident near College Station, Texas, October 15, 1994
On October 15, 1994 at about 10:28 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N2964A, was destroyed in an accident near College Station, Texas (Easterwood airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed, 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND THE RESULTING INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, AND HIS DIVERTED ATTENTION TO AN OPEN CARGO DOOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1994 · about 10:28 pm local time
- Place
- College Station, Texas · Easterwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2964A · registry record · serial 32-7940231
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT DOOR CAME OPEN AND BEGAN 'FLAPPING' DURING TAKEOFF ROLL/INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB. THE PILOT CONTINUED HIS TAKEOFF AND RADIOED THAT HIS BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT DOOR HAD POPPED OPEN AND HE WAS RETURNING TO LAND. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING IN A STEEP CLIMB ATTITUDE, AT VERY SLOW AIRSPEED, IN A PRONOUNCED LEFT CRAB OR SLIP, IN A LEFT TURN AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 75 TO 100 FEET. THE PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT REPORTED HEARING THE STALL WARNING HORN INTERMITTENTLY PRIOR TO THE AIRPLANE'S IMPACT WITH TWO UTILITY POLES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD TAKEN A QUART OF OIL FROM THE FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT TO REPLENISH THE ENGINE OIL. HE REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT REMEMBER IF THE TOP PART OF THE LATCH WAS LATCHED PRIOR TO HIS TAKEOFF. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 425 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 425 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,405 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 24, 1994; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SAT San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,800 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:28 pm from CLL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 FTW95FA019.