Cessna 414A accident near Midland, Texas, January 4, 1988
On January 4, 1988 at about 3:49 pm local time, a Cessna 414A, registered N6576C, was destroyed in an accident near Midland, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- January 4, 1988 · about 3:49 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N6576C · registry record · serial 414A-0018
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND THE GROUND SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF DURING INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS. THE ONLY EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WHICH WAS FOUND WAS THE GYRO FOR THE PILOT'S ATTITUDE INDICATOR WHICH HAD NO INDICATION OF ROTATION AT IMPACT. THE PREVIOUS PILOT STATED THAT HE NORMALLY PULLED THE AC CIRCUIT BREAKER AFTER LANDING, THAT THE BREAKER SUPPLIED VOLTAGE TO THE PILOT'S ATTITUDE INDICATOR, AND THAT HE TOLD THE NEW PILOT OF THIS PROCEDURE WHICH WAS NOT ON THE AIRCRAFT'S CHECKLIST. THIS WAS THE NEW PILOT'S FIRST INSTRUMENT FLIGHT IN THIS AIRCRAFT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 34 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,952 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: ROW Roswell NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from MAF, 10 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.