Stinson VULTEE V-77 accident near Slaton, Texas, June 9, 2024
On June 9, 2024 at about 9:35 pm local time, a 1944 Stinson VULTEE V-77, registered N88026, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Slaton, Texas (City of Slaton/Larry T Neal Me airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control after landing in gusting wind conditions which resulted in a runway excursion and the airplane nosing over. Contributing was the pilot’s decision to conduct the flight in very strong, gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2024 · about 9:35 pm local time · cases in 2024
- Place
- Slaton, Texas · City of Slaton/Larry T Neal Me · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson VULTEE V-77, built 1944 · all VULTEE V-77s on the register
- Registration
- N88026 · registry record · serial 77-411
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing roll and as he was preparing to turn onto a taxiway, they encountered a gust of wind. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, left and right wings, and the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the airplane had landed on runway 17 with recorded wind of 030o at 21 knots, gusting to 44 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 31,103 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 101 in the last 30 days; 30,424 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 20, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 2023; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,680 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming R-680-13 (piston); 1,856 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLBB Lubbock TX at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18/3, 4,244 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 21 knots, gusting 44
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; a few clouds
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:34 pm from KLBB, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KLBB 092134Z 03021G44KT 6SM TS BLDU BKN070CB BKN095 BKN140 25/16 A2995 RMK AO2 PK WND 03044/2128 WSHFT 2110 LTG DSNT NE TSB14 OCNL LTGICCG NW-NE TS NW-NE MOV W T02500156 $=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Tire marks on runway
Photograph 2 – Tire marks on runway
Photograph 3 – Front view of accident airplane
Photograph 4 – Right side view of accident airplane
Photograph 5 – Left side view of accident airplaneThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on July 25, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Correspondence - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Correspondence - Law Enforcement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 6 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Meteorology - Metars | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N88026 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Stinson VULTEE V-77 85 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Stinson 1,728 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming R-680-13 14 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- City Of Slaton/Larry T Neal Memorial · nearest airport
- Lubbock Preston Smith International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN24LA214.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.