Piper PA-28-140 accident near Glenwood, New Mexico, August 7, 2010
On August 7, 2010 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N4372J, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Glenwood, New Mexico (Shepley Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to attempt a takeoff from an unimproved airstrip with a high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2010 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Glenwood, New Mexico · Shepley Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N4372J · no longer on the register · serial 28-22756
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was doing some back country flying and landed to the northeast at an unimproved ranch airstrip with a field elevation of 7,400 feet msl. The airstrip was not maintained and there was tall grass along the landing path. After landing, the pilot turned around and took off to the southwest. The airplane failed to gain altitude and collided with a fence and impacted terrain. The pilot said the temperature was 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit). There were no anomalies found with the airplane's engine or other airplane systems.
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
- Loss of lift during takeoff
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › High elevation › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 1,754 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2,017 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 2, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,040 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2010; 286 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1NM7 Negrito NM at 5:13 pm
- Destination: 13NM Glenwood NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 5:05 pm from SVC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.