Piper PA-28RT-201T accident near Clovis, New Mexico, August 1, 1985
On August 1, 1985 at about 3:23 am local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, registered N2232R, was destroyed in an accident near Clovis, New Mexico (Clovis Municipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- August 1, 1985 · about 3:23 am local time
- Place
- Clovis, New Mexico · Clovis Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201T PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2232R · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7931075
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN LEVEL CRUISE FLIGHT AT 17,000 FT, PILOT NOTICED SOUND CHANGE IN CABIN. ALL INSTRUMENT READINGS WERE NORMAL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE DROP FROM 32 TO 25 INCHES. ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND RUN ROUGH. OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT BLINKED AND OIL PRESSURE FELL. PILOT SAW FIRE AROUND COWL VENTS. OIL COVERED WINDSHIELD MADE FORWARD VISIBILITY IMPOSSIBLE. PILOT MADE SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING IN OPEN FIELD. ENGINE DISASSEMBLY REVEALED NO.2 FUEL NOZZLE FLOWING LEAN, NO. 2 PISTON BURNED, AND EVIDENCE OF CRANK SHAFT OIL STARVATION.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 258 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 86 in the last 90 days; 184 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,629 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 4, 1985; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TXIO-360-FBI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALB Albuquerque NM at 1:00 am
- Destination: LBB Lubbock TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from CVS, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.