Beech E 90 accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico, June 14, 2017
On June 14, 2017 at about 4:10 am local time, a 1978 Beech E 90, registered N48TA, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Ruidoso, New Mexico (Sierra Blanca Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain after takeoff during dark night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 2017 · about 4:10 am local time
- Place
- Ruidoso, New Mexico · Sierra Blanca Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E 90 NO SERIES, built 1978 · all E 90s on the register
- Registration
- N48TA · no longer on the register · serial LW-283
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot had filed an instrument flight rules flight plan and was departing in dark night visual meteorological conditions on a cross-country personal flight. A witness at the departure airport stated that during takeoff, the airplane sounded and looked normal. The witness said that the airplane lifted off about halfway down runway 24, and there was "plenty" of runway remaining for the airplane to land. The witness lost sight of the airplane and did not see the accident because the airport hangars blocked her view. The wreckage was located about 2,400 ft southeast of the departure end of runway 24. Examination of the accident site indicated that the airplane impacted in a nose-down attitude with a left bank of about 20°. A left turn during departure was consistent with the airport's published instrument departure procedures for obstacle avoidance, which required an immediate climbing left turn while proceeding to a navigational beacon located about 7 miles east-northeast of the airport. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot had reportedly been awake for about 15 hours and was conducting the departure about the time he normally went to sleep and, therefore, may have been fatigued about the time of the event; however, given the available evidence, it was impossible to determine the role of fatigue in this event. Although the circumstances of the accident are consistent with spatial disorientation, there was insufficient evidence to determine whether it may have played a role in the sequence of events.
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 control in flight during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during enroute (climb to cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,073 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 10, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,621.9 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, February 9, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 10,099 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28 (turboprop); 12,443 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28 (turboprop); 12,443 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SRR Ruidoso NM at 4:10 am
- Destination: ABI Abilene TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 8,120 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 am from SRR, 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
11 documents, released by the NTSB on January 31, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation - Kim King | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Sean Parker | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | N48TA ForeFlight Weather Briefing | PDF, 64 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Flight Plan for N48TA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Pilot's Insurance Application | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Pilot Training Certificate of Completion | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Accident Site Map by Fire Department | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | U.s. Naval Observatory Moon Data | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Aircraft Maintenance Log Excerpt | PDF, 17 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Photo Log | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N48TA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.