Socata TBM 700 accident near Clovis, New Mexico, December 23, 2008
On December 23, 2008, a Socata TBM 700, registered N70LR, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Clovis, New Mexico (Clovis Municipal Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to complete the before-landing checklist, which led to his failure to lower the gear before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2008
- Place
- Clovis, New Mexico · Clovis Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Socata TBM 700 · all TBM 700s on the register
- Registration
- N70LR · no longer on the register · serial 225
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was approaching the non-towered airport from the north, making a straight-in approach to runway 22, and was using the autopilot while still nine miles out. There was a 15-knot headwind and the airplane was still fast and a little high when 4.2 miles out, but the pilot reduced the power to zero percent and he "reserved" lowering the gear because he was still at 185 knots. The pilot said "the approach felt normal, the next thing I knew we were sliding down the runway". The airplane slid to a stop on the right side of the runway with the landing gear still retracted. There were no injuries to the four persons on board, but substantial damage to the left rear spar and center spar carrythrough and aft fuselage structure.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,510 hours in all; 525 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 5,255 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 21, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 840 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 10, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 6,575 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-64 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Caterer'S Leasing
The flight
- Departed from: KCAO Clayton NM
- Destination: KCVN Clovis NM
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 22, 6,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 190° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 am from KCVN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.