Tucumcari Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tucumcari, New Mexico 88401
Thursday, July 4, 1985 14:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON JULY 4, 1985, AT 1400 MDT, A PIPER PA-18, N1754A, REGISTERED TO TED W. STALLINGS, DEPARTED THE DESIGNATED TAXIWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A CULVERT AT TUCUMCARI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, TUCUMCARI, NEW MEXICO. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING TAXIED FOR THEPURPOSE OF A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THAT TIME, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE CERTIFICATED PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City TUCUMCARI
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88401
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TUCUMCARI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TCC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 4064
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1400 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TCC
Elevation of weather observation facility 4064
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 750
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 5 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27973
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1754A
NTSB Number DEN85LQA03
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18A
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18A
Aircraft Serial Number 18-1319
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 7 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 110
Airframe Hours 2759
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TED W. STALLINGS
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 517
Aircraft Owner City BOVINA
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79009
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --