Piper PA-28-180 accident near Wheeler, Texas, March 19, 1985
On March 19, 1985 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7807W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheeler, Texas (Holt airport). It was a business 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
- March 19, 1985 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeler, Texas · Holt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7807W · no longer on the register · serial 28-1812
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, EN ROUTE DETERIORATING WX WAS EXPERIENCED AND HE ELECTED TO LAND AT WHEELER INSTEAD OF HIS ORIGINAL DEST, GRANDFIELD, OK. THE ACFT WAS LANDED SLIGHTLY FAST AND DOWNWIND. WINDS WERE FROM 210 DEGREES AT 15 GUSTING TO 20. AT THE ACFT NEARED THE NORTH END OF THE RWY, THE PLT STATED, THE RIGHT BRAKE PEDAL WENT SOFT. THE LANDING WAS ABORTED WITH THE APPLICATION OF FULL POWER. ONCE AIRBORNE THE ACFT CLEARED A FENCE BUT WOULD NOT CLIMB FAST ENOUGH TO CLEAR A LINE OF TREES. REALIZING THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLEAR THE TREES THE PLT REDUCED POWER AND FLEW THE ACFT IN A LDG ATTITUDE INTO ROUGH TERRAIN.
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: 375 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,483 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1984; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Guyman OK at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,820 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.