Piper PA-22-150 accident near Marlin, Texas, July 17, 1982
On July 17, 1982 at about 3:00 am local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N8760D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marlin, Texas (Marlin airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- July 17, 1982 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Marlin, Texas · Marlin
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N8760D · no longer on the register · serial 8592-27
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF, AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE QUIT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN THE AIRCRAFT LOST AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL. THE AIRCRAFT FUEL GAGES WERE PLACARDED "NO TAKEOFFS PERMITTED WHEN TANKS LESS THAN 1/3 FULL". THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT LOOK IN THE FUEL TANKS AND THE FUEL GAGES READ LESS THAN 1/3 FULL.
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: 93 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 65 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Marlin TX at 9:50 pm
- Destination: Waco TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.