Piper PA-28-181 accident near Tucumcari, New Mexico, May 6, 1985
On May 6, 1985 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N3067L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucumcari, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1985 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Tucumcari, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N3067L · registry record · serial 28-7990262
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED A TREE AND A DITCH DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER A LOSS OF PWR DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE RIGHT FUEL GAGE REPORTEDLY INDICATED 6-8 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK WHEN 50 MILES FROM TUCUMCARI MUNICIPAL ARPT. THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS 'APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES OUT,' WHEN HE NOTICED A SUDDEN LOSS OF FUEL ON THE FUEL GAGE AND THE FUEL PRESSURE DROPPED TO 'NIL' FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF PWR. THE ACFT WAS LANDED IN A FIELD APRX 1 1/2 MILES SHORT OF THE RWY. TOTAL TIME OF THE FLT WAS 4 HRS 15 MINUTES. THE ACFT USABLE FUEL CAPACITY IS 48 GALLONS AND THE OPERATING MANUAL STATES THE ACFT USES APRX 10 GPH IN CRUISE FLT.
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: 220 hours in all; 116 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 158 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,863 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fort Smith AR at 6:15 pm
- Destination: TCC Tucumcari NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.