Piper PA-23-250 accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, February 19, 1994
On February 19, 1994 at about 4:45 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N303AT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada (Las Vegas-Sky Harbor airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CFI'S IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION BY FAILING TO GO-AROUND INSTEAD OF LANDING, THE CFI'S EXCESSIVE TOUCHDOWN SPEED, AND HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. THE DUAL STUDENT'S INITIAL EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED AND THE DITCH WERE FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1994 · about 4:45 am local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Las Vegas-Sky Harbor
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N303AT · no longer on the register · serial 27-3574
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS RETURNING TO ITS HOME BASE AFTER A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL SESSION. THE DUAL STUDENT WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE AND ALLOWED ITS FINAL APPROACH FLIGHT PATH TO BECOME TOO LOW AND FAST. THE CFI ASSUMED THE CONTROLS AND EXECUTED A GO-AROUND AND REENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE CFI RELINQUISHED THE CONTROLS TO THE STUDENT AFTER EXPLAINING WHAT THE STUDENT HAD DONE WRONG. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE'S AIRSPEED WAS TOO FAST. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 1/4 MILE FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, THE CFI ASSUMED THE CONTROLS, BUT DID NOT EXECUTE A GO-AROUND. INSTEAD, THE CFI RETARDED THE THROTTLES AND LANDED ABOUT 1/3 BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY AT A HIGH AIRSPEED. THE CFI DID NOT BELIEVE HE HAD SUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND AND HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP BUT THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, THE AIRPLANE LANDED WITH AN EQUIVALENT DIRECT TAILWIND OF 6 KNOTS. THE APPROACH CONTROL REPORTED THE SURFACE WINDS TO BE A LEFT QUARTERING HEADWIND.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 696 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 178 in the last 90 days; 178 in the last 30 days; 542 as pilot in command; 252 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Proflight, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.