Piper PA-24-250 accident near Kaufman, Texas, December 27, 1995
On December 27, 1995 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N5221P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kaufman, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A BENT PUSH ROD AND THE RESULTANT LOSS OF OIL. FACTORS WERE THE COCKPIT SMOKE AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 1995 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kaufman, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5221P · no longer on the register · serial 24-248
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE 'STARTED TO RUN ROUGH' AND SMOKE FILLED THE COCKPIT. DURING THE DOWNWIND APPROACH TO A FIELD, FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS LIMITED BY THE SMOKE. ON SHORT FINAL, THE PILOT OBSERVED A FENCE ACROSS THE LANDING AREA AND 'PULLED THE YOKE ALL THE WAY BACK.' FOLLOWING THE HARD LANDING, THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED THROUGH THE FENCE. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE ENGINE FUSELAGE AND WINGS WERE DAMAGED. ENGINE OIL WAS FOUND ON THE ENGINE COWLING AND IN THE AREA OF THE #4 CYLINDER. THE OIL SUMP CONTAINED APPROXIMATELY 1.5 QUARTS OF OIL. THE EXHAUST VALVE PUSH ROD AND THE PUSH ROD TUBE ON THE #4 CYLINDER WERE BENT AND WERE NO LONGER IN PLACE. ENGINE TIME SINCE THE LAST MAJOR OVERHAUL WAS 697.65 HOURS AND THE TIME SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS 26 HOURS.
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: 802 hours in all; 378 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 689 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,347 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 1995; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 69F Terrell TX at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from DAL, 290 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.