Piper PA-36-300 accident near Littlefield, Texas, June 20, 1996
On June 20, 1996 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-36-300, registered N57836, was substantially damaged in an accident near Littlefield, Texas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to the failure of the number 5 and 6 connecting rods. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1996 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Littlefield, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36-300 · all PA-36-300s on the register
- Registration
- N57836 · no longer on the register · serial 36-7760008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he made one pass over the field he intended to spray. When he lined up to make the second pass, the 'engine shook fiercely and locked down.' A forced landing was performed to the field. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted a terrace and became airborne. The airplane landed again a 'short distance away and came to a stop.' During the impact with the terrace, the landing gear separated from the aircraft and the fuselage sustained structural damage. Postcrash examination of the engine by the operator revealed that the loss of engine power was attributed to the failure of the number 5 and 6 connecting rods which had penetrated the engine case.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1,700 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4,940 as pilot in command; 550 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q00 TX at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from LBB, 45 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.