Piper PA-28-235 accident near Sulphur Springs, Texas, May 7, 1999
On May 7, 1999 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9009W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sulphur Springs, Texas (Thornbird Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The delayed aborted takeoff by the pilot-in-command. Factors were the short runway, the tall grass, and the tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1999 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Sulphur Springs, Texas · Thornbird Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9009W · registry record · serial 28-10591
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted a tree during an aborted takeoff from a 2,000-foot private grass airstrip. The private pilot stated that the takeoff roll was normal and all engine gauges and flight instruments appeared normal, except for the airspeed indicator needle, which remained between 65 and 70 knots. The pilot aborted the takeoff and maneuvered the airplane off the right side of the runway to avoid a tree. However, the airplane's right wing contacted another tree. The grass at the airstrip was between 12 and 14 inches high. The airplane's engine was test run in the airframe at various power settings, including full power. The engine operated within the manufacturer's specifications. The engine maintenance logbooks were reviewed and no record of any uncorrected maintenance discrepancies was found.
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: 897 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 885 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,642 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 1999; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: F54 Arlington TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from GVT, 43 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW99LA136.