Ryan NAVION accident near Midland, Texas, September 14, 1985
On September 14, 1985 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Ryan NAVION, registered N91460, was substantially damaged in an accident near Midland, Texas (Sky Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- September 14, 1985 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Texas · Sky Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION · all NAVIONs on the register
- Registration
- N91460 · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-273
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT EXPERIENCED ENG FAILURE DURING CLIMBOUT FROM SKY RANCH ARPT AT MIDLAND, TX. HE THEN TURNED INTO THE WIND AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A PASTURE. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A CONNECTING ROD HAD BROKEN, HOWEVER, THE CAUSE OF THE ROD FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE PLT HAD ALREADY RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR AND MADE AN INTENTIONAL GEAR UP LANDING ONTO WET 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 40 in the last 90 days; 1,460 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 820 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 3,233 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E185 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MAF Midland TX at 10:32 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft; not recorded at 500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 pm from MAF, 1 miles away
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.