Piper PA-25-235-B accident near Lovington, New Mexico, June 8, 1985
On June 8, 1985 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235-B, registered N7336Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lovington, 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 1985 · about 6:00 pm local time · cases in 1985
- Place
- Lovington, 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-25-235-B PA-25-235- · all PA-25-235-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7336Z · registry record · serial 25-3285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF TO THE EAST FROM A 1000-FOOT MOWED ALFALFA FIELD AT A FIELD ELEVATION OF 3700 FT MSL. THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WINDS TO BE FROM THE SOUTHEAST AT 8 MPH. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE BETWEEN 6578 AND 6871 FT MSL. ACCORDING TO THE PIPER ACFT CORPORATION, THE AIRPLANE WOULD REQUIRE 1688 FT TO TAKE OFF.
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: 562 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 468 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,570 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 1985; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 1,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from ROS, 71 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N7336Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N7336Z on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-25 Pawnee 455 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,838 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 27 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in New Mexico 1,423 since 1982 · 184 in the last ten years
- New Mexico 3,111 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N7336Z 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DEN85LA159.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.