Piper PA-25-260 accident near Wallis, Texas, July 8, 1999
On July 8, 1999 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-260, registered N8561L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wallis, Texas (Private Airstrip airport). 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 loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. 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
- July 8, 1999 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wallis, Texas · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-260 · all PA-25-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8561L · no longer on the register · serial 5-4983
- 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 agricultural airplane experienced a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from the operator's private airstrip. The pilot turned toward a cotton field and the aircraft started to descend into the field. The left wing impacted the ground, and the airplane turned around 180 degrees before it came to rest upright. The operator test ran the engine twice following the accident and could find no anomalies that would have prevented the operation of 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 253 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,856 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,960 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from SGR, 20 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.