Piper PA-25 accident near Portales, New Mexico, July 20, 1987
On July 20, 1987 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-25, registered N6419Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portales, New Mexico. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
- July 20, 1987 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Portales, 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 · all PA-25s on the register
- Registration
- N6419Z · no longer on the register · serial 25565
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS PRACTICING AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVERS WITHOUT CHEMICALS ONBOARD. DURING A TURN, THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PLT LEVELED THE WINGS AND LOWERED THE NOSE TO GAIN AIRSPEED. THE PLT SELECTED A LANDING SITE AND AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR HIT A SMALL RIDGE AND COLLAPSED. A POST ACCIDENT ENGINE TEARDOWN BY THE OWNER DID NOT REVEAL ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS/FAILURES.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 330 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 188 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,070 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q34 at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.