Piper PA-18 accident near Clovis, New Mexico, June 27, 1997
On June 27, 1997 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N1754A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clovis, New Mexico (Aero Tech airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor was an unexpected gust of wind during landing touch down.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 1997 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Clovis, New Mexico · Aero Tech · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N1754A · registry record · serial 18-318
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was practicing touch and go landings. He reported that during the third landing, a gust of wind caught the tail wheel as it touched down, turning the aircraft to the left. He tried to increase power to lift off but 'was out of control.' Subsequently, the left wing struck a fence, and the aircraft 'cart wheeled.' The pilot reported that the winds were from the south at 2 knots and that the gust of wind was 'unexpected.' A nearby weather facility, reported the winds to be from 190 degrees at 10 knots.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,158 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 17,158 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,323 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1997; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NM42
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Observation at 10:54 pm from CVN
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 N1754A 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.