Piper PA-28-235 accident near Littlefield, Texas, January 16, 1988
On January 16, 1988 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N8737W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Littlefield, Texas (Littlefield Municipal). 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 16, 1988 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Littlefield, Texas · Littlefield Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8737W · registry record · serial 28-10277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CONNECTING ROD CAP ATTACHING BOLT FAILED IN FLIGHT WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STOP. THE PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH AT THE TIME BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE RUNWAY. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FARM FIELD SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH WHICH CAUSED LANDING GEAR FAILURE AND DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING.
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
- Flight time: 76 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 33 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,414 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 11, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q00 Littlefield TX at 4:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.