Piper PA-18-150 accident near Folsum, New Mexico, October 6, 1997
On October 6, 1997 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N83454, was substantially damaged in an accident near Folsum, New Mexico ((Grass Strip) 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 during takeoff, which resulted in a stall/mush. A related factor was the crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1997 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Folsum, New Mexico · (Grass Strip) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N83454 · registry record · serial 18-7609140
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to witnesses and an FAA inspector, who visited the crash site, the pilot was taking off to the west from a grass strip next to, and parallel to, a dirt road. The pilot said that there were 'some bumps in the grass strip and the wind was nearly a direct cross wind.' The pilot further reported that he flew the airplane to approximately 50 feet agl and 'I started to come back down and go to the north from the wind.' He stated that 'right before the ground I pulled up with the stick, but hit hard with the right wheel and wing.' The FAA inspector reported that the airplane impacted the terrain on its left side, damaging the left main gear and the left wing. The airplane came to rest inverted. Postcrash examination of the wreckage revealed that there was no fuel in the airplane; however, the airplane was on its back for two days before it was examined. The FAA inspector could not identify any anomalies with the airplane or the engine.
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: 571 hours in all; 391 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,501 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 1997; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 7:30 pm
- Destination: NONE Cuervo NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N83454 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.