Cessna 414 accident near Mcgregor, Texas, February 14, 1995
On February 14, 1995 at about 7:08 am local time, a Cessna 414, registered N4643G, was destroyed in an accident near Mcgregor, Texas (Mcgregor Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DELAYED INITIATION OF THE MISSED APPROACH UNTIL WELL BELOW THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE AND BEYOND THE PUBLISHED MISSED APPROACH POINT. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT AND THE LOW CEILING AND VISIBILITY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 1995 · about 7:08 am local time
- Place
- Mcgregor, Texas · Mcgregor Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N4643G · no longer on the register · serial 414-0911
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR THE VOR RUNWAY 17 APPROACH. FIELD ELEVATION AND THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE WERE 590 AND 980 FEET RESPECTIVELY. THE MISSED APPROACH POINT WAS 10.4 MILES OUTBOUND FROM THE WACO VOR, WHICH COINCIDED WITH THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT ESTABLISHED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE AIRPORT. AFTER CONFIRMING THAT THE AIRPORT WAS IN SIGHT AND THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT IDENTIFIED, THE PILOT CONTINUED HIS DESCENT TOWARDS THE RUNWAY TO LAND ON RUNWAY 17. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT 'I REALIZED THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE ADEQUATE RUNWAY TO SAFELY LAND, AND INITIATED A RIGHT TURN TO EXECUTE A MISSED APPROACH.' THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TOP OF THE TREES. THE FAA INSPECTOR AT THE SCENE REPORTED THAT AFTER IMPACTING THE TREES, THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED THROUGH THE TREES FOR APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET ON A TRACK OF 344 DEGREES PRIOR TO COMING TO REST ON A HEADING OF 230 DEGREES.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 651 hours in all; 318 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 603 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,083 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 16, 1994; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Q34 Portales NM at 6:36 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 5,499 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1.8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 100 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 am from F60, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.