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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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January 11, 1986 · Piper PA-32-300T · N82072

Saginaw, TX

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
January 11, 1986
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (3 uninjured)
Location
Saginaw, TX
Aircraft
Piper PA-32-300T
Tail Number
N82072
Operator
Elbert M Long
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
FTW86FPA14

Pilot Long departed Big Spring, Texas with two passengers VFR to Saginaw Airport, Saginaw, Texas. The pilot was flying to MWL, VOR 065 radial, descending to pattern altitude at Saginaw Airport. The pilot said he had not been to that airport previously. Heavy smoke from a grass fire burnoff was obscuring a large area to the north and east of the Saginaw Airport runway. Pilot Long entered the smoke area, identified what appeared to be a runway and landed. The airplane landed on a street approximately 3/4 mile east of Saginaw Airport and struck a two-inch pipe warning sign resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. There was no fire and no injuries. The ELT was not activated. The FAA investigator was at the takeoff end of the Saginaw Airport at the time of this accident and observed the heavy grass fire smoke obscuring a large area across the approach end to Saginaw Airport and the ILS final approach course to Meacham Field. Pilot Long is blind in his left eye.

Full Narrative

PILOT LONG DEPARTED BIG SPRING, TEXAS WITH TWO PASSENGERS VFR TO SAGINAW AIRPORT, SAGINAW, TEXAS. THE PILOT WAS FLYING TO MWL, VOR 065 RADIAL, DESCENDING TO PATTERN ALTITUDE AT SAGINAW AIRPORT. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD NOT BEEN TO THAT AIRPORT PREVIOUSLY. HEAVY SMOKE FROM A GRASS FIRE BURNOFF WAS OBSCURING A LARGE AREA TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE SAGINAW AIRPORT RUNWAY. PILOT LONG ENTERED THE SMOKE AREA, IDENTIFIED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A RUNWAY AND LANDED. THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON A STREET APPROXIMATELY 3/4 MILE EAST OF SAGINAW AIRPORT AND STRUCK A TWO-INCH PIPE WARNING SIGN RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING. THERE WAS NO FIRE AND NO INJURIES. THE ELT WAS NOT ACTIVATED. THE FAA INVESTIGATOR WAS AT THE TAKEOFF END OF THE SAGINAW AIRPORT AT THE TIME OF THIS ACCIDENT AND OBSERVED THE HEAVY GRASS FIRE SMOKE OBSCURING A LARGE AREA ACROSS THE APPROACH END TO SAGINAW AIRPORT AND THE ILS FINAL APPROACH COURSE TO MEACHAM FIELD. PILOT LONG IS BLIND IN HIS LEFT EYE.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time11:30 CST
Nearest AirportSAGINAW (1nm E)
Runway17
Runway Length2600 ft
Runway Width20 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-32-300T
Tail NumberN82072
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorElbert M Long
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · T10-540 SPAD · Reciprocating · 300
Seats5

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (3 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured3
Total3
Crew 1Age 52 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind220° @ 18 kt
Visibility7 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point63 F / 27 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time17:50
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data