Piper PA22-150 accident near Springerville, Arizona, July 12, 1990
On July 12, 1990 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Piper PA22-150, registered N8231C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springerville, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE ENCOUNTER WITH A DOWNDRAFT BEYOND THE CLIMB CAPABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1990 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Springerville, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA22-150 · all PA22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N8231C · no longer on the register · serial 22-2317
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE WAS IN CRUISE OVER A MOUNTAINOUS AREA WHEN THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED SEVERE DOWN DRAFTS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING HIGH TENSION POWER LINES AND HE ELECTED TO FLY UNDER THEM. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE 'NEVER COULD GET THE AIRCRAFT TO CLIMB AGAIN,' AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ONTO THE GROUND AND COLLIDED WITH A LARGE ROCK.
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: 662 hours in all; 392 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 611 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-TC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E24 Whiteriver AZ at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 4AC Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.