Piper PA-34T-22OT accident near Tucson, Arizona, December 26, 1985
On December 26, 1985 at about 6:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-34T-22OT, registered XBDRL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona (Tucson Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1985 · about 6:08 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Tucson Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34T-22OT PA-34T-22O · all PA-34T-22OTs on the register
- Registration
- XBDRL · no longer on the register · serial 34-8133255
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A TRANS BORDER VFR X-COUNTRY FLT, THE PLT NOTICED 'OIL SPIRTING FROM THE LEFT ENGINE' WITH SMOKE, & HE SHUT IT DOWN. AN EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED BY THE TUCSON ATCT, WHO CLEARED THE ACFT TO LAND STRAIGHT IN ON RWY 29L. TOWER PERSONNEL OBSERVED THE ACFT PORPOISE ABOUT 7,000 FT DOWN THE RWY BEFORE GROUND LOOPING AND SLIDING OFF THE LEFT SIDE. THE ACFT & ENGINES HAD ABOUT 249 HOURS TOTAL TIME. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED A 3/4 INCH CRACK IN THE LOWER FRONT WELD SEAM OF THE OIL COOLER. THE CRACK WAS ONLY VISABLE UNDER PRESSURE TESTING.
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: foreign licence, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 530 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 25, 1985; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TS10-360KB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Obregon,Sondra at 3:45 pm
- Destination: OLS Nogales AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 9,129 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:30 pm from TUS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.