# NTSB DEN91FA010: Piper PA-38-125, N2448L, Levelland, TX, October 20, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: October 20, 1990, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place: Levelland, TX
- Coordinates: 33.569286, -102.35939 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5693&lon=-102.3594&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report December 14, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 18005
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN91FA010
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18005/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN91FA010

## Probable cause

INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO EFFECT RECOVERY.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering
  - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
  - altitude - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE FLIGHT WAS A SCHEDULED STUDENT SOLO TRAINING FLIGHT. AT THE TIME THE CRASH SITE WAS DISCOVERED BY FARM WORKERS TRANSITING THE AREA, IT WAS FOUND THAT TWO PERSONS WERE ABOARD, THE STUDENT PILOT, AND A RECENTLY CERTIFIED PRIVATE PILOT FROM THE SAME FLIGHT SCHOOL. GROUND SCARRING INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT HAD IMPACTED UPRIGHT, IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, WITH LITTLE FORWARD SPEED. THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD BEEN OBSERVED ON PAST FLIGHTS TO CONDUCT LOW LEVEL FLIGHT AND ACROBATICS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR ACROBATICS AND NEITHER PILOT HAD RECEIVED ACROBATIC TRAINING.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2448L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2448L-1991-01-29), registration cancelled 1991-01-29, S/N 3879A0706 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-38-125
- Registry model: [Piper PA-38-112](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-38-112) (registry code 7103812) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 38-79A0706
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 112 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Levelland Aviation, Inc.
- Departed: Q24
- Destination: Q24

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 21; student; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; toxicology performed; flight hours: 61 total, 38 in this make and model, 33 as pilot in command, 61 in the last 90 days, 47 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 10° at 22 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 15,000,000 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at: Q24, 6 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19901020046489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901020046489A), Oct 20, 1990: Piper PA38112, Levelland, TX, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Crashed in field. Dispatched as solo training. Student had private pilot passenger on board.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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