Piper PA-25-235 accident near Lubbock, Texas, August 25, 1990
On August 25, 1990 at about 6:47 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N9852P, was destroyed in an accident near Lubbock, 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 OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE DURING A TURN-AROUND MANEUVER, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT STALLING INTO THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1990 · about 6:47 pm local time
- Place
- Lubbock, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9852P · no longer on the register · serial 25-7556175
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF AN AERIAL APPLICATION AIRPLANE COMPLETED A SWATH RUN AND INITIATED A TURN-AROUND MANEUVER OVER AN ADJACENT FIELD. DURING THE FINAL PORTION OF THAT MANEUVER, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TERRAIN, LEFT WING TIP FIRST. DURING IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED ABOUT 200 DEG AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 30 FT FROM THE INITIAL GROUND CONTACT POINT, THEN BURNED. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE IN THE TURN-AROUND MANEUVER. HE SAID IT WENT 'STRAIGHT UP THEN DOWN' BEFORE IMPACT. THE OPERATOR SAID HE HAD ADVISED THE PILOT BEFORE THE FLIGHT THAT HE WAS 'GETTING A BIT RECKLESS AND TAKING UNNECESSARY CHANCES.'
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: 1,405 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,743 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 1990; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: F83 Abernathy TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from LBB, 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.