Piper PA-28-140 accident near Lordsburg, New Mexico, October 12, 1987
On October 12, 1987, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N530FL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lordsburg, New Mexico (Dusty Acres airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- October 12, 1987
- Place
- Lordsburg, New Mexico · Dusty Acres · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N530FL · registry record · serial 287125359
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT HE REDUCED THE THROTTLE DURING THE DESCENT TO TRAFFIC PATTERN ALT AT THE DUSTY ACRES ARPT AND WHEN HE PUSHED THE THROTTLE IN, THE THROTTLE CABLE BROKE. THE ENG WENT TO IDLE POWER AND QUIT. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A GRAVEL ROAD. DURING THE ROLLOUT, THE ACFT STRUCK A FENCE, VEERED TO THE LEFT AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. PLT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE AIRCRAFT RECORDS THEREFORE THE DATES OF MAINTENANCE INSPECTION ARE UNKNOWN.
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: 617 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 593 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,316 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ Albuquerque NM at 11:00 pm
- Destination: Cotton City NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.