The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Accidents · NTSB FTW82DA297 · Preliminary: the investigation is not finished

Piper PA-25-235 accident near Santa Rosa, New Mexico, July 26, 1982

On July 26, 1982, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N8937L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Rosa, New Mexico (Santa Rosa Municipal airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
July 26, 1982 · cases in 1982
Place
Santa Rosa, New Mexico · Santa Rosa Municipal · cases near this airport · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
Registration
N8937L · registry record · serial 25-5402
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

WHILE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED OFF THE RUNWAY AND RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL HAD COME OFF THE AXLE. A CLOSER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE RETAINING NUT AND THE COTTER PIN, WHICH HOLDS THE NUT IN PLACE, WERE MISSING.

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: single-engine land
  • Flight time: 850 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days
  • Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
  • Seat: unk

The aircraft

  • Airframe total time: 3,373 hours
  • Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 25 hours since
  • Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
  • Seats: 1
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total

The flight

  • Departed from: Tucumcari CA at 5:20 pm
  • Destination: Los Angeles CA
  • Flight plan: none
  • Runway 26, 4,400 ft by 50 ft

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
  • Visibility: 50 statute miles
  • Sky: not recorded; clear
  • Temperature: 194°F (90°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew1

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.

Connections how this case links to the rest of the register

Aircraft
Place
Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW82DA297.json.

The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.

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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.