Piper PA-38-112 accident near Stillwater, Oklahoma, March 29, 1997
On March 29, 1997 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N194BA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stillwater, Oklahoma (Stillwater Municipal 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, and his failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a ground swerve and collapse of the nose gear. The crosswind was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1997 · about 3:45 pm local time · cases in 1997
- Place
- Stillwater, Oklahoma · Stillwater Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- 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
- N194BA · registry record · serial 38-82A0063
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll on runway 17 with a left crosswind, the airplane traveled approximately 500 feet, then veered left. The student pilot stated that he applied right rudder; however, the airplane continued to veer left, entering a skid. The nose landing gear separated, and the airplane exited the left side of the runway, then skidded approximately 30 feet on grass before coming to a full stop. The left crosswind component was calculated to be 9 to 10 knots. The Pilot's Operating Handbook listed the airplane's maximum demonstrated crosswind component as 15 knots.
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: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 17 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWA Oklahoma City OK at 3:05 pm
- Destination: SWO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N194BA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-38 Tomahawk 442 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,839 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C 84 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Stillwater Regional · nearest airport
- Wiley Post Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Oklahoma 1,300 since 1982 · 181 in the last ten years
- Oklahoma 5,659 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW97LA152.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.