Maule MXT-7-180A accident near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, October 11, 2008
On October 11, 2008 at about 11:02 pm local time, a Maule MXT-7-180A, registered N4257C, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Santa Teresa, New Mexico (Santa Teresa, Nm airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to takeoff and fly into a thunderstorm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 2008 · about 11:02 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Teresa, New Mexico · Santa Teresa, Nm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Maule MXT-7-180A · all MXT-7-180As on the register
- Registration
- N4257C · no longer on the register · serial 21070C
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed the airplane taxi and perform an intersection takeoff directly towards an isolated thunderstorm located off the departure end of the runway. The airplane appeared to climb to 150 to 200 feet above the ground before disappearing from view as it went into the storm. One witness stated that the airplane's wings were rocking back and forth and that it appeared the pilot was having difficulty controlling the airplane, just before it went out of view. Five to ten minutes later, after the storm moved past, smoke was seen rising approximately one mile west of the airport. The airplane was destroyed by post impact fire. Weather radar data showed the thunderstorm was producing an approximate 60 knot wind shear at the time of the accident. There was a SIGMET active for the accident location and time which warned of the possibility of severe thunderstorms. There was no evidence the pilots obtained a weather briefing prior to taking off.
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 prior to flight
- Windshear or thunderstorm during initial climb defining event
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › Thunderstorm › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,755 hours in all; 1,293 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 140 hours in all
- Last flight review: July 7, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 851 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 2007
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: 5t6 Santa Teresa NM at 11:02 pm
- Destination: D68 Springerville AZ
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 14 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:09 pm from kepz, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.