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Accidents · NTSB DEN87LA151 · Preliminary: the investigation is not finished

Piper PA-22-160 accident near Los Lunas, New Mexico, June 14, 1987

On June 14, 1987 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N8924D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Lunas, New Mexico (Mid Valley Air Park airport). 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 14, 1987 · about 7:00 pm local time · cases in 1987
Place
Los Lunas, New Mexico · Mid Valley Air Park · cases near this airport · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
Registration
N8924D · registry record · serial 226081
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

THE PLT REPORTED THAT AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND WENT INTO A WATER FILLED IRRIGATION DITCH. THE ACFT NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED A DEFLATED TAIL WHEEL WHICH APPEARED TO HAVE BLOWN OUT. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE DAMAGE OCCURRED AT TOUCH DOWN OR DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

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: 1,100 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days
  • Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
  • Seat: left

The aircraft

  • Airframe total time: 2,457 hours
  • Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1986
  • Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
  • Seats: 4
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total

The flight

  • Departed from: 4AC Albuquerque NM at 6:30 pm
  • Flight plan: none
  • Runway 17, 4,300 ft by 50 ft

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Visibility: 60 statute miles
  • Sky: scat
  • Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew1

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.

Connections how this case links to the rest of the register

Aircraft
Place
Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DEN87LA151.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.