ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 348396
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| Date: | Sunday 26 November 2023 |
| Time: | c. 11:00 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee B |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N7763W |
| MSN: | 28-1762 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1964 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Mertzon, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Las Cruces Municipal Airport, NM (LRU/KLRU) |
| Bulverde Airpark, TX (1TT8) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
On November 25, about 1835 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee, N7763W, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Mertzon, Texas. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to a family member, the occupants were travelling from Los Cruces International Airport (LRU), Los Cruces, New Mexico, to the Bulverde Airpark (1TT8), Bulverde, Texas. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recorded the airplane as it departed LRU at 1100 central standard time. While enroute, the airplane operated at varying altitudes, from about 3,400 ft mean sea level (msl) to about 9500 ft msl, and about 85 miles per hour (MPH) to about 170 MPH. The airplane initially passed the Ft. Stockton-Pecos County Airport (FST), Fort Stockton, Texas, but then turned 180° and returned to FST. After a 34-minute stop the airplane departed FST generally to the east. ADS-B captured the airplane maneuvering southeast of Reagan County Airport (E41), Big Lake, Texas, before it turned northwest and arrived at E41 at 1539. At 1820, ADS-B data recorded the airplane airborne again, travelling northeast. The last ADS-B data point recorded the airplane about 12 nautical miles northwest of Mertzon, Texas, at 3,400 ft and 148 MPH.
According to the Irion County Sheriff, his office was contacted around 1836, by a 911 emergency services operator, who had received an Apple Crash alert. A search was initiated, and the wreckage was located the following morning.
The airplane came to rest inverted, on a heading of about 300° magnetic. An area of flattened trees and vegetation was observed extending back from the airplane 200 ft on a bearing of 029° to the first point of probable impact (FPPI), a gouge in a Juniper tree about 4 ft above ground level (agl). Numerous components of the airplane were found strewn along the ground scar.
An on-scene examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. The airplane was recovered to a secure facility.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://sanangelolive.com/news/crashes/2023-11-27/ntsb-launches-investigation-plane-crash-near-mertzon
https://sanangelolive.com/news/crashes/2023-11-27/deadly-final-fight-cherokee-n7763w
NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N7763W
https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N7763W/history/20231126/0020Z/tracklog
https://globe.airplanes.live/?icao=aa8227&lat=31.328&lon=-100.979&zoom=12.1&showTrace=2023-11-26×tamp=1700958914
https://www.airport-data.com/images/aircraft/000/018/018508.jpg (photo)
Location
Media:
NTSB is investigating the crash of a Piper PA-28 airplane near Mertzon, Texas.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) November 26, 2023
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Nov-2023 20:06 | nhofmann54 | Added |
| 27-Nov-2023 07:41 | gerard57 | Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative] |
| 27-Nov-2023 08:27 | gerard57 | Updated [Narrative] |
| 27-Nov-2023 15:04 | Captain Adam | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source, Narrative] |
| 27-Nov-2023 15:10 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 27-Nov-2023 16:58 | AgOps | Updated [Source] |
| 27-Nov-2023 20:56 | Captain Adam | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 28-Nov-2023 14:25 | Anon. | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source] |
| 28-Nov-2023 18:22 | AgOps | Updated [Source] |
| 19-Dec-2023 22:39 | Captain Adam | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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