Piper PA-28-180 accident near Porter, Texas, April 30, 1995
On April 30, 1995 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7573W, was destroyed in an accident near Porter, Texas (Williams airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO IDENTIFY THE UNSAFE CONDITION CREATED BY CARRYING A BATTERY WITH JUMPER CABLES ATTACHED IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT AND THE ENSUING FIRE IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 1995 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Porter, Texas · Williams · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7573W · registry record · serial 28-1519
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT NOTICED A 'STRANGE' ODOR AFTER TAKEOFF. SMOKE FILLED THE CABIN AS HE ENTERED THE DOWNWIND LEG FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE APPROACH TRAILING SMOKE AND TOUCH DOWN 'HARD' COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR. FLAMES WERE VISIBLE IN THE CABIN AS THE AIRPLANE SLID TO A STOP. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME REVEALED AN IN-FLIGHT FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT WHERE AN AUTOMOTIVE BATTERY WAS FOUND WITH A SET OF JUMPER CABLES ATTACHED TO THE TERMINALS. THE OTHER ENDS OF THE CABLES WERE FUSED TOGETHER ON THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT FLOOR. THE PILOT KEPT THE BATTERY IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT FOR USE IN JUMP STARTING THE AIRPLANE, BUT DID NOT RECALL USING IT ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. ONE WITNESS HEARD REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO START THE AIRPLANE 'ON A WEAK BATTERY,' THEN 'SAW THE BAGGAGE DOOR OPEN AND SOON AFTER THAT THE PLANE WAS STARTED.'
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: 288 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 219 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,060 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1995; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,600 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from IAH, 10 miles away
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.