Piper PA-24-260 accident near Salt Flat, Texas, March 23, 1983
On March 23, 1983 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N8652P, was destroyed in an accident near Salt Flat, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- March 23, 1983 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Flat, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8652P · no longer on the register · serial 24-4095
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DEPARTING TUCSON, THE PLT WAS ADVISED OF 2 MARGINAL WX SYSTEMS ALONG HIS ROUTE. HE TOOK OFF AT 1038 MST. AT 1130,HE CONTACTED ATC & REPORTED AT 13,800'. FROM THEN UNTIL 1214, HIS ALT VARIED BETWEEN 10,000' & 16,000'. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 1228 WHILE HE WAS BELOW 10,000'. AT 1240, HE REPORTED AT 12,5000', THEN CLIMBED TO 14,500' TO REESTABLISH RADAR CONTACT WITH ATC. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RADAR & RADIO CONTACT WERE LOST. SCHOOL CHILDREN SAW THE ACFT BEFORE IT CRASHED. ACCORDING TO THEM, IT WAS IN LEVEL FLT AT APRX 3000' AGL (7000' MSL), THEN PITCHED NOSE DOWN, BEGAN SPINNING & CRASHED. THEY DID NOT SEE ANYTHING SEPARATE FROM THE ACFT. AN EXAM REVEALED THE LEFT OUTBOARD WING PANEL & PART OF THE LEFT AILERON HAD SEPARATED IN FLT. THE OUTER PORTION OF THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILATOR HAD FOLDED UPWARD. THE WING PANELWAS FOUND 3.5 MI AWAY WITH EVIDENCE IT HAD FAILED UP & AFT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE IN THE VICINITY OF MTNS. THE PLT HAD BEEN BRIEFED ON AREAS OF TURBULENCE, ICING, PRECPITAITON & DETERIORATING CEILINGS.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,988 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 24, 1983; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tucson AZ
- Destination: CNM Carlsbad NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 33 knots, gusting 46
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.