Piper PA-24-260 accident near Big Spring, Texas, January 12, 1986
On January 12, 1986 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N9183P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Spring, Texas (Big Spring airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- January 12, 1986 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Big Spring, Texas · Big Spring · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N9183P · no longer on the register · serial 24-4676
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH BARRIERS MARKING A DISPLACED THRESHOLD DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEPARTURE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. THE ENGINE RAN SUCCESSFULLY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN REFUELED ABOUT 6 TO 8 WEEKS BEFORE THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT & ANOTHER PILOTHAD FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT FOR 45 MINUTES (WITHOUT INCIDENT) IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. A CHECK OF THE FUEL SHOWED NO IRREGULARITIES OTHER THAN THE AGE OF THE FUEL. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE DISCOVERED DURING AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME OR FUEL SYSTEM.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 1,410 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1985; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 2,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from MAF, 38 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9183P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.