Piper PA-38-112 accident near Alice, Texas, April 23, 1996
On April 23, 1996 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2537D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alice, Texas (Alice International airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student pilot's improper landing flare and improper bounced landing recovery.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1996 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Alice, Texas · Alice International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2537D · registry record · serial 38-79A0350
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a supervised solo flight, the student pilot landed hard and a porpoise developed. The nose landing gear sheared, the propeller struck the pavement, and then the aircraft struck a runway sign which damaged the left wing and punctured the fuel cell.
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: student
- Flight time: 29 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,409 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRP Corpus Christi TX at 9:00 pm
- Destination: ALI
- Runway 13, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from ALI
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.