Piper PA-38-112 accident near Uvalde, Texas, April 2, 1987
On April 2, 1987 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N4450E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Uvalde, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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 2, 1987 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Uvalde, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N4450E · no longer on the register · serial 38-78A0610
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON 04-02-87, A PIPER PA-38-112, N5540E, OWNED AND OPERATED BY SOUTHWEST TEXAS JUNIOR COLLEGE, IMPACTED THE TERRAIN NEAR UVALDE, TX. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED FOR TRAINING PURPOSES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR INITIATED A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE AND DID NOT ATTEMPT RECOVERY UNTIL REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 150 FT AGL. WRITTEN DIRECTIVES CALL FOR RECOVERY PRIOR TO REACHING 200 FT AGL. THE SELECTED FORCED LANDING AREA WAS UNSUITABLE IN THAT IT WAS ROUGH TERRAIN SURROUNDED ON TWO SIDES BY TRANSMISSION POWER LINES. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE ENGINE RESPONDED NORMALLY DURING THE RECOVERY ATTEMPT. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A HIGH SINK RATE AND RECOVERY COULD NOT BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS UNINJURED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,028 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 6,842 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 4, 1987; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UVA Uvalde TX at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 13 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Observation at 2:29 pm from DRJ, 72 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4450E 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.