Piper PA-38-125 accident near Levelland, Texas, October 20, 1990
On October 20, 1990 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-125, registered N2448L, was destroyed in an accident near Levelland, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO EFFECT RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 1990 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Levelland, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-125 · all PA-38-125s on the register
- Registration
- N2448L · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0706
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS A SCHEDULED STUDENT SOLO TRAINING FLIGHT. AT THE TIME THE CRASH SITE WAS DISCOVERED BY FARM WORKERS TRANSITING THE AREA, IT WAS FOUND THAT TWO PERSONS WERE ABOARD, THE STUDENT PILOT, AND A RECENTLY CERTIFIED PRIVATE PILOT FROM THE SAME FLIGHT SCHOOL. GROUND SCARRING INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT HAD IMPACTED UPRIGHT, IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, WITH LITTLE FORWARD SPEED. THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD BEEN OBSERVED ON PAST FLIGHTS TO CONDUCT LOW LEVEL FLIGHT AND ACROBATICS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR ACROBATICS AND NEITHER PILOT HAD RECEIVED ACROBATIC TRAINING.
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: student
- Flight time: 61 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 33 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Levelland Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Q24 at 6:45 pm
- Destination: Q24
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 22 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 15000000 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:52 pm from Q24, 6 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.