Piper PA-23 accident near Bridgeport, Texas, July 21, 1998
On July 21, 1998, a Piper PA-23, registered N3154P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bridgeport, Texas (Bridgeport Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's delay in recognizing and responding to the loss of right engine power which resulted in the airplane landing short of the runway. A factor was the loss of right engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 1998
- Place
- Bridgeport, Texas · Bridgeport Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23 · all PA-23s on the register
- Registration
- N3154P · no longer on the register · serial 23-1085
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, the twin engine airplane undershot the runway following a loss of right engine power. With the private pilot receiving instruction at the controls, the airplane took off and remained in the traffic pattern. As the turn to base leg was made, the airplane 'suddenly' began loosing altitude, and the flight instructor took control of the airplane. The instructor added full power, feathered the right engine and retracted the flaps. However, the airplane impacted trees short of the runway. The operator stated that monitoring of the engine gauges might have prevented the accident by alerting the pilots to the loss of engine power 'at an earlier stage.' The reason for the loss of right engine power has not been determined.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,730 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 1,545 as pilot in command; 1,340 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,417 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 15, 1998; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1F9 at 11:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,009 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.