- Date
- January 16, 1988, 11:25 local (17:25 UTC)
- Place
- Littlefield, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8737WPiper PA-28-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880116000789A
- Case key
- 22606
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The connecting rod cap attaching bolt failed in flight which caused the engine to stop. The pilot was on final approach at the time but was unable to reach the runway. A forced landing was made in a farm field short of the airport. Upon touchdown the aircraft collided with a ditch which caused landing gear failure and damage to the left wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8737W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-10277
- Airframe hours
- 2,414
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B4B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Shawn Pickrell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 11, 1987
- Departed
- Q00 · Littlefield, TX
- Airport
- Q00 · Littlefield Municipal, runway 19, 4,000 × 60 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 76 total · 6 in this make and model · 33 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.