Piper PA-32-260 accident near Spicewood, Texas, January 21, 1996
On January 21, 1996, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N41381, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spicewood, Texas (Austin Air Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's intentional evasive maneuver to avoid colliding with a deer on the runway during landing. A factor was the bush that the airplane collided with during the aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 1996
- Place
- Spicewood, Texas · Austin Air Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N41381 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7400030
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, immediately after the airplane touched down, he observed a deer on the right side of the runway. The airplane veered to the left, and the left main gear went off the side of the runway. The pilot elected to abort the landing and applied full throttle. During the acceleration, the plane's left wing struck a 'bush'. At approximately 10 to 15 feet off the ground, the pilot determined that the airplane was unable to attain sufficient altitude to clear the power lines and trees bordering the airport. The pilot elected to close the throttle and land in a clear area to the left side of the runway.
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: 216 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 168 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,124 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 7, 1995; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LBX Angleton TX at 10:30 pm
- Destination: 88R
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,000 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.