Piper PA-25 accident near Amarillo, Texas, November 14, 1988
On November 14, 1988 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-25, registered N8547L, was destroyed in an accident near Amarillo, Texas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE ON THE PART OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER AIRSPEED FOR THE MANEUVER BEING PERFORMED, FOLLOWED BY A STALL AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO RECOVER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 1988 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Amarillo, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25 · all PA-25s on the register
- Registration
- N8547L · no longer on the register · serial 25-4567
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MANEUVERING FOR ANOTHER SWATH RUN, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. A FIRE ERUPTED AND DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT. NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. ABOUT 8 MI WEST AT AMARILLO, TX, THE 1100 CST WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 250 DEG AT 19 GUSTING 28 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 19 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from AMA, 8 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.
Other NTSB records under N8547L 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.