Piper PA-18-150 accident near Tucumcari, New Mexico, October 30, 1988
On October 30, 1988 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4026Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucumcari, New Mexico. It was a personal 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
- October 30, 1988 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tucumcari, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4026Z · no longer on the register · serial 18-7981
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PLT WAS FLYING A FRIEND OVER HIS RANCH SEARCHING FOR COWS. THE PLT REPORTED MAKING A 40 DEG LEFT BANKED TURN AT 300 FT AGL AT FULL POWER AND 70 KNOTS. HE SAID THAT THE PLANE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO AILERON CONTROL INPUTS INITIALLY. THE PLT SAID THE PLANE MAY HAVE STALLED. THERE IS NO STALL WARNING DEVICE ON THIS PLANE. THE ACFT LOST ALTITUDE AND THE PLT SAW A 60 FT BLUFF IN THE FLIGHT PATH. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO LEVEL THE ACFT AT 20 FT AGL AND LANDED IN ROCKS AND SHORT TREES STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE ACFT CAME TO REST 100 FT FROM IMPACT.
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: 1,145 hours in all; 263 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 1,025 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,092 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 7, 1988; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E89 Conchas NM at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.