Piper PA-22-150 accident near Skellytown, Texas, February 20, 1986
On February 20, 1986 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N9995D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Skellytown, Texas (Shellytown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- February 20, 1986 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Skellytown, Texas · Shellytown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N9995D · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS TAKE OFF ROLL WAS LONGER THAN EXPECTED. REACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY, HE ROTATED & THE ACFT LEFT THE GROUND, BUT IT DID NOT ESTABLISH A GOOD RATE OF CLIMB. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A POLE & CRASHED. THE TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED WITH A 15 KT TAILWIND THAT WAS GUSTING TO 22 KTS.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,100 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 30,000 ft; scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 am from AMA, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.