Piper PA-22-125 accident near Lajitas, Texas, February 27, 1983
On February 27, 1983 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-125, registered N816A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lajitas, Texas (Lajitas airport). It was an instructional 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 1983 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lajitas, Texas · Lajitas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-125 · all PA-22-125s on the register
- Registration
- N816A · registry record · serial 22-120
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON A SUPERVISED CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FLT. AFTER ARRIVING AT AN EN ROUTE AIRPORT, HE LANDED ON RUNWAY 22 WITH AN ESTIMATED CROSSWIND FROM 310 DEG AT 10 GUSTING 20 KTS. AFTER DECELERATING TO TAXI SPEED ON THE RUNWAY, A GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED & THE ACFT WAS BLOWN ONTO THE LEFT WING & NOSE, THEN OVER ON ITS BACK. THE STUDENT REPORTED THAT THE WINDS WERE CALM WHEN HE DEPARTED ON THE CROSS-COUNTRY & WERE FORCASTED TO REMAIN THE SAME. THIS WAS THE STUDENT'S FIRST FLIGHT TO THIS AIRPORT.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 78 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 32 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,400 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 28, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E38 Alpine TX at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 4,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:00 pm from 17XS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.