Piper PA-18-150 accident near Marfa, Texas, May 3, 1982
On May 3, 1982 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N7615Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marfa, Texas (Escondido Ranch airport). It was an instructional 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
- May 3, 1982 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Marfa, Texas · Escondido Ranch · 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
- N7615Z · registry record · serial 18-8398
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL FOR A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VEER TO THE LEFT. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS ABLE TO OVERPOWER THE STUDENT ON THE RUDDER PEDALS BUT NOT THE AFT STICK PRESSURE. THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF THEN SETTLED BACK TO THE RUNWAY IN A THREE-POINT ATTITUDE AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED HE DID NOT HEAR THE INSTRUCTOR'S DIRECTION TO LOWER THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,610 hours in all; 4,100 in this make and model; 164 in the last 90 days; 15,009 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 961 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Marfa TX at 9:00 am
- Destination: Alpine TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 1,500 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 144°F (62°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N7615Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.