UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549


                                    FORM 10-Q


   / x /         Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                For the quarterly period ended September 30, 1997

                                       or

   /   /        Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                     of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                For the transition period from _______ to _______

                          Commission File No. 33-3353A


                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-A, LTD.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

               Texas                                        75-2124884
   (State or other jurisdiction of                       (I.R.S. Employer
    incorporation or organization)                    Identification Number)

303 West Wall, Suite 101, Midland, Texas                       79701
(Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip code)


       Registrant's Telephone Number, including area code : (915) 683-4768

                                 Not applicable
              (Former name, former address and former fiscal year,
                          if changed since last report)

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12 months (or for such  shorter  period that the  Registrant  was
required  to file  such  reports),  and  (2) has  been  subject  to such  filing
requirements for the past 90 days.

                                Yes / x / No / /

                               Page 1 of 11 pages.
                            Exhibit index on page 10.






                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-A, LTD.

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                         Page
                          Part I. Financial Information

Item 1.    Financial Statements

           Balance Sheets as of September 30, 1997 and
              December 31, 1996   .....................................    3

           Statements of Operations for the three and nine
             months ended September 30, 1997 and 1996..................    4

           Statement of Partners' Capital for the nine months
             ended September 30, 1997..................................    5

           Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended
             September 30, 1997 and 1996...............................    6

           Notes to Financial Statements...............................    7

Item 2.    Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
             Condition and Results of Operations.......................    7


                      Part II. Other Information

Item 6.    Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K............................   10

           27.   Financial Data Schedule

           Signatures..................................................   11


                                        2





                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-A, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                          Part I. Financial Information

Item 1.   Financial Statements

                                 BALANCE SHEETS

                                                    September 30,   December 31,
                                                        1997           1996
                                                    ------------    -----------
                                                     (Unaudited)

                       ASSETS

Current assets:
   Cash and cash equivalents, including interest
     bearing deposits of $105,173 at September 30
     and $231,863 at December 31                    $    105,290    $   232,139
   Accounts receivable - oil and gas sales                66,012        121,894
                                                     -----------     ----------
           Total current assets                          171,302        354,033
                                                     -----------     ----------
Oil and gas properties - at cost, based on the
   successful efforts accounting method                7,095,265      7,084,599
Accumulated depletion                                 (5,758,409)    (5,634,266)
                                                     -----------     ----------
           Net oil and gas properties                  1,336,856      1,450,333
                                                     -----------     ----------
                                                    $  1,508,158    $ 1,804,366
                                                     ===========     ==========
      LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL

Current liabilities:
   Accounts payable - affiliate                     $     21,293    $    76,557
Partners' capital:
   Managing general partner                               13,563         15,972
   Limited partners (10,131 interests)                 1,473,302      1,711,837
                                                     -----------     ----------
                                                       1,486,865      1,727,809
                                                     -----------     ----------
                                                    $  1,508,158    $ 1,804,366
                                                     ===========     ==========


The financial information included as of September 30, 1997 has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        3





                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-A, LTD.
                             (A Limited Partnership)

                            STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                   (Unaudited)



                                   Three months ended      Nine months ended
                                      September 30,          September 30,
                                 ---------------------   ----------------------
                                    1997       1996        1997         1996
                                 ---------   ---------   ---------   ----------
Revenues:
   Oil and gas                   $ 135,437   $ 179,352   $ 439,462   $  590,230
   Interest                          1,839       6,032       6,590        8,670
   Litigation settlement               -           -           -        290,690
   Gain (loss) on disposition
     of assets                         -        (4,729)        -        172,972
                                  --------    --------    --------    ---------
                                   137,276     180,655     446,052    1,062,562
                                  --------    --------    --------    ---------
Costs and expenses:
   Oil and gas production          105,015      83,832     314,983      319,793
   General and administrative        4,063       5,380      13,184       17,706
   Depletion                        41,170      30,405     124,143      110,678
                                  --------    --------    --------    ---------
                                   150,248     119,617     452,310      448,177
                                  --------    --------    --------    ---------
Net income (loss)                $ (12,972)  $  61,038   $  (6,258)  $  614,385
                                  ========    ========    ========    =========
Allocation of net income (loss):
   Managing general partner      $    (130)  $     610   $     (63)  $    6,143
                                  ========    ========    ========    =========
   Limited partners              $ (12,842)  $  60,428   $  (6,195)  $  608,242
                                  ========    ========    ========    =========
Net income (loss) per limited
   partnership interest          $   (1.27)  $    5.97   $    (.61)  $    60.04
                                  ========    ========    ========    =========
Distributions per limited
   partnership interest          $    4.83   $    7.46   $   22.93   $    52.67
                                  ========    ========    ========    =========


         The financial information included herein has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        4





                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-A, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                         STATEMENT OF PARTNERS' CAPITAL
                                   (Unaudited)



                                     Managing
                                     general      Limited
                                     partner      partners       Total
                                    ---------    ----------    ----------

Balance at January 1, 1997          $  15,972    $1,711,837    $1,727,809

   Distributions                       (2,346)     (232,340)     (234,686)

   Net loss                               (63)       (6,195)       (6,258)
                                     --------     ---------     ---------

Balance at September 30, 1997       $  13,563    $1,473,302    $1,486,865
                                     ========     =========     =========




         The financial information included herein has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        5





                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-A, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                            STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                   (Unaudited)



                                                           Nine months ended
                                                              September 30,
                                                        ----------------------
                                                           1997         1996
                                                        ----------   ---------
Cash flows from operating activities:
    Net income (loss)                                   $  (6,258)   $ 614,385
    Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net
      cash provided by operating activities:
         Depletion                                        124,143      110,678
         Gain on disposition of assets                        -       (172,972)
   Changes in assets and liabilities:
      Decrease in accounts receivable                      55,882       40,368
      Increase (decrease) in accounts payable             (56,079)      29,829
                                                         --------     --------
           Net cash provided by operating activities      117,688      622,288
                                                         --------     --------
Cash flows from investing activities:
   Additions to oil and gas properties                     (9,851)      (2,679)
   Proceeds from disposition of assets                        -        411,753
                                                         --------     --------
           Net cash provided by (used in) investing
             activities                                    (9,851)     409,074
                                                         --------     --------
Cash flows from financing activities:
   Cash distributions to partners                        (234,686)    (539,008)
                                                         --------     --------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents     (126,849)     492,354
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period          232,139       66,625
                                                         --------     --------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period              $ 105,290    $ 558,979
                                                         ========     ========


         The financial information included herein has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        6





                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-A, LTD.
                           (Texas Limited Partnership)

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                               September 30, 1997
                                   (Unaudited)

Note 1.     Basis of presentation

In the opinion of  management,  the unaudited  financial  statements of Parker &
Parsley  86-A,  Ltd.  (the  "Partnership")  as of September 30, 1997 and for the
three and nine months ended  September 30, 1997 and 1996 include all adjustments
and accruals  consisting only of normal recurring accrual  adjustments which are
necessary for a fair  presentation of the results for the interim period.  These
interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.

Certain  information  and  footnote  disclosure  normally  included in financial
statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting  principles
have been  condensed  or  omitted  in this Form 10-Q  pursuant  to the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.  The financial statements
should  be read in  conjunction  with the  financial  statements  and the  notes
thereto  contained in the  Partnership's  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1996, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission,  a copy
of which is available upon request by writing to Rich Dealy,  Vice President and
Controller, 303 West Wall, Suite 101, Midland, Texas 79701.

Item 2.     Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
              and Results of Operations (1)

As of August 8, 1997, Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. ("Pioneer USA") became
the  general  partner  of  the  Partnership.   Prior  to  August  8,  1997,  the
Partnership's general partner was Parker & Parsley Development L.P. ("PPDLP"), a
wholly-owned  subsidiary  of  Parker &  Parsley  Petroleum  Company  ("Parker  &
Parsley").  On  August  7,  1997,  Parker  &  Parsley  and  Mesa  Inc.  received
shareholder  approval  to merge and create  Pioneer  Natural  Resources  Company
("Pioneer").  On August 8, 1997,  PPDLP was merged with and into  Pioneer USA, a
wholly-owned  subsidiary  of  Pioneer,  resulting  in Pioneer USA  becoming  the
general  partner of the Partnership as PPDLP's  successor by merger.  For a more
complete description of the Parker & Parsley and Mesa Inc. merger, see Pioneer's
Registration  Statement  on Form S-4 as filed  with the  Securities and Exchange
Commission.

Results of Operations

Nine months ended September 30, 1997 compared with nine months ended
  September 30, 1996

Revenues:

The Partnership's  oil and gas revenues  decreased 26% to $439,462 from $590,230
for the nine  months  ended  September  30,  1997 as compared to the nine months
ended  September  30, 1996.  The decrease in revenues  resulted from declines in
barrels of  oil and  mcf of gas produced and  sold and  a  lower  average  price

                                        7





received per barrel of oil,  offset by an increase in the average price received
per mcf of gas. For the nine months ended September 30, 1997,  15,268 barrels of
oil were sold  compared  to 19,905 for the same  period in 1996,  a decrease  of
4,637 barrels, or 23%. Of the decrease,  2,407 barrels, or 12%, was attributable
to the sale of four oil and gas wells during 1996.  The  additional  decrease of
11%,  or  2,230  barrels,  was  due  to  the  decline   characteristics  of  the
Partnership's  oil and gas  properties.  For the nine months ended September 30,
1997,  61,398 mcf of gas were sold  compared  to 85,111  for the same  period in
1996, a decrease of 23,713 mcf, or 28%. Of the decrease, 10,573 mcf, or 12%, was
attributable  to the sale of four oil and gas wells during 1996.  The additional
decrease of 13,140 mcf, or 16%,  was due to the decline  characteristics  of the
Partnership's  oil and gas  properties.  Management  expects a certain amount of
decline  in  production  to  continue  in the  future  until  the  Partnership's
economically recoverable reserves are fully depleted.

The average price received per barrel of oil decreased $1.01, or 5%, from $20.79
for the nine months  ended  September  30, 1996 to $19.78 for the same period in
1997,  while the average  price  received per mcf of gas increased 8% from $2.07
for the nine months ended  September 30, 1996 to $2.24 in 1997. The market price
for oil and gas has been extremely  volatile in the past decade,  and management
expects a certain  amount of volatility to continue in the  foreseeable  future.
The  Partnership may therefore sell its future oil and gas production at average
prices lower or higher than that received during the nine months ended September
30, 1997.

On April 29, 1996, Southmark  Corporation,  the managing general partner and the
Partnership entered into a final $7.4 million settlement  agreement with Jack N.
Price resolving all outstanding litigation between the parties. As a result, all
of the pending lawsuits and judgments have been dismissed,  the supersedeas bond
released,  and the Reserve  released as  collateral.  On June 28,  1996, a final
distribution was made to the working interest owners of $290,690, which included
$287,784, or $28.41 per limited partnership interest, to the Partnership and its
partners.

The gain on  disposition  of assets was  comprised of salvage  income of $14,605
that was  received  during the nine  months  ended  September  30, 1996 from the
disposal of equipment on one fully  depleted  well. A gain of $158,367  from the
sale of four oil and gas wells and four  saltwater  disposal  wells to  Costilla
Energy, L.L.C. was recognized during the nine months ended September 30, 1996.

Costs and Expenses:

Total  costs and  expenses  increased  to  $452,310  for the nine  months  ended
September  30,  1997 as compared  to  $448,177  for the same period in 1996,  an
increase of $4,133. This increase was due to an increase in depletion, offset by
decreases in production costs and general and administrative expenses ("G&A").

Production  costs were $314,983 for the nine months ended September 30, 1997 and
$319,793  for the same  period  in 1996  resulting  in a $4,810  decrease.  This
decrease was primarily the result of a reduction in well repair and  maintenance
costs and lower  production  taxes paid due to the decline in oil and gas sales,
offset by an increase in workover  expenses  incurred in an effort to  stimulate
well production.

G&A's  components are independent  accounting and engineering  fees and managing
general  partner  personnel  and  operating  costs.   During  this  period,  G&A
decreased,  in aggregate,  26% from $17,706 for the nine months ended  September

                                        8





30,  1996 to $13,184  for the same  period in 1997.  The  Partnership  agreement
limits G&A to 3% of gross oil and gas revenues.

Depletion was $124,143 for the nine months ended  September 30, 1997 compared to
$110,678 for the same period in 1996,  representing  an increase of $13,465,  or
12%.  This  increase was  primarily  attributable  to a decrease in oil reserves
during 1997 as a result of lower  commodity  prices,  offset by a decline in oil
production.

Three months ended September 30, 1997 compared with three months ended September
  30, 1996

Revenues:

The Partnership's  oil and gas revenues  decreased 24% to $135,437 from $179,352
for the three  months ended  September  30, 1997 as compared to the three months
ended  September  30, 1996.  The decrease in revenues  resulted from declines in
barrels of oil and mcf of gas  produced  and sold and a decrease  in the average
price  received  per barrel of oil,  offset by an increase in the average  price
received per mcf of gas. For the three months ended  September  30, 1997,  5,045
barrels  of oil were  sold  compared  to 5,898 for the same  period  in 1996,  a
decrease of 853 barrels,  or 14%. For the three months ended September 30, 1997,
20,931 mcf of gas were sold  compared to 25,689 for the same  period in 1996,  a
decrease of 4,758 mcf,  or 19%.  The  decreases  in  production  were due to the
decline characteristics of the Partnership's oil and gas properties.

The average  price  received per barrel of oil  decreased  $3.49,  or 16%,  from
$21.84 for the three  months  ended  September  30,  1996 to $18.35 for the same
period in 1997,  while the average  price  received per mcf of gas  increased 4%
from $1.97 for the three months ended September 30, 1996 to $2.05 in 1997.

Costs and Expenses:

Total costs and  expenses  increased  to  $150,248  for the three  months  ended
September  30,  1997 as compared  to  $119,617  for the same period in 1996,  an
increase of $30,631,  or 26%.  This  increase was due to increases in production
costs and depletion, offset by a decrease in G&A.

Production costs were $105,015 for the three months ended September 30, 1997 and
$83,832 for the same period in 1996  resulting  in a $21,183  increase,  or 25%.
This increase was primarily due to higher well repair and maintenance costs.

G&A's  components are independent  accounting and engineering  fees and managing
general  partner  personnel  and  operating  costs.   During  this  period,  G&A
decreased,  in aggregate,  24% from $5,380 for the three months ended  September
30, 1996 to $4,063 for the same period in 1997.

Depletion was $41,170 for the three months ended  September 30, 1997 compared to
$30,405 for the same  period in 1996,  representing  an increase of $10,765,  or
35%,  primarily  attributable  to a decrease  in oil  reserves  during 1997 as a
result of lower commodity  prices,  offset by a decline in oil production of 853
barrels during the three months ended September 30, 1997 as compared to the same
period in 1996.

                                        9





Liquidity and Capital Resources

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating  activities  decreased  $504,600  during the nine
months ended  September 30, 1997 from the same period ended  September 30, 1996.
This decrease was  primarily due to the receipt of proceeds from the  litigation
settlement  received in 1996 as  discussed  in Item 2, a decrease in oil and gas
sales receipts and an increase in production and G&A costs paid.

Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities

The  Partnership's  investing  activities during the nine months ended September
30, 1997 and 1996  included  expenditures  related to equipment  replacement  on
various oil and gas properties.

Proceeds from disposition of assets of $411,753, received during the nine months
ended September 30, 1996,  consisted of $14,605 from the disposal of oil and gas
equipment on fully depleted wells and $397,148 from the sale of four oil and gas
wells and four saltwater disposal wells.

Net Cash Used in Financing Activities

Cash was  sufficient  for the nine  months  ended  September  30,  1997 to cover
distributions to the partners of $234,686 of which $2,346 was distributed to the
managing  general  partner and  $232,340 to the limited  partners.  For the same
period ended  September 30, 1996, cash was sufficient for  distributions  to the
partners of $539,008 of which $5,390 was  distributed  to the  managing  general
partner and $533,618 to the limited partners. Cash distributions to the partners
of $539,008 for the nine months ended  September 30, 1996 included $2,906 to the
managing  general partner and $287,784 to the limited  partners,  resulting from
proceeds received in the litigation settlement as discussed in Item 2.

It is expected  that future net cash  provided by operating  activities  will be
sufficient for any capital expenditures and any distributions. As the production
from the properties declines, distributions are also expected to decrease.

- ---------------

(1)    "Item 2. Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
       Results of Operations"  contains forward looking  statements that involve
       risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that the
       actual  events and  results  will not be  materially  different  than the
       anticipated results described in the forward looking statements.

                           Part II. Other Information

Item 6.     Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

(a)  Exhibits

     27.   Financial Data Schedule

(b)  Reports on Form 8-K - none

                                       10




                           PARKER & PARSLEY 86-A, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)



                               S I G N A T U R E S



     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                       PARKER & PARSLEY 86-A, LTD.

                                By:    Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc.,
                                       Managing General Partner




Dated: November 7, 1997         By:     /s/ Rich Dealy
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       Rich Dealy, Vice President and
                                         Controller



                                       11