Mbb 109 accident near Harlingen, Texas, December 19, 1987
On December 19, 1987 at about 4:33 pm local time, a Mbb 109, registered N8575, was destroyed in an accident near Harlingen, Texas (Rio Grande Valley Int. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- December 19, 1987 · about 4:33 pm local time
- Place
- Harlingen, Texas · Rio Grande Valley Int.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mbb 109
- Registration
- N8575 · registry record · serial 208
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE SET OF FLOATS WHICH ALLOWS A HIGH FUEL FLOW IN THIS CARBURETOR FOR HIGH POWER SETTINGS USED FOR TAKEOFF, CLIMB, ETC., HAD CRACKED AND SWOLLEN TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT THEY WERE RUBBING AGAINST THE FLOAT CHAMBER WALLS AND FLOAT CHAMBER SHROUD TUBES. THIS INTERFERENCE PREVENTED ADEQUATE FUEL FLOW FOR HIGH POWER OPERATION OF THE ENGINE DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB WHICH TERMINATED IN THE ACCIDENT. THERE WERE NO ENTRIES IN THE MAINTENANCE LOGS WHICH INDICATED ANY MAINTENANCE OR INTERNAL EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR SINCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS NEW (1959).
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
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 8 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 172 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 24, 1987; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 500-29 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HRL at 4:33 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 13, 5,950 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 25 knots, gusting 38
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:36 pm from HRL, 2 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.