Partenavia P68C accident near Tilden, Texas, April 25, 1985
On April 25, 1985 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Partenavia P68C, registered N76L, was destroyed in an accident near Tilden, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- April 25, 1985 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tilden, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Partenavia P68C
- Registration
- N76L · registry record · serial 292
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER APRX 1.5 HRS OF PIPELINE PATROL FLIGHT AT A PLANNED ALTITUDE OF 500 AGL THE ACFT FLEW INTO THE FLAT TERRAIN IN A LANDING ATTITUDE. THE ACFT WENT THROUGH A WIRE FENCE, HEAVY BRUSH AND SMALL TREES BEFORE COMING TO REST 437 FT FROM INITIAL GROUND CONTACT WITH ALL 3 GEAR COLLAPSED. A PHYSICAL EXAMINATION AND THE PILOT'S STATEMENT INDICATE THAT THE PILOT WAS OPERATING UNDER AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF STRESS WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN CHRONIC FATIGUE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS ACCUSTOMED TO A VERY HEAVY FLIGHT SCHEDULE. THE CHIEF PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ASSIGN AN ADDITIONAL PILOT BUT COMPANY BUDGET CONSTRAINTS PREVENTED SUCH AN ASSIGNMENT.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,020 hours in all; 712 in this make and model; 237 in the last 90 days; 5,420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 727 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 15, 1985; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-AIB6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRP Corpus Christi TX at 5:40 pm
- Destination: IAH Houston TX
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.