Beech D17S accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, May 25, 2018
On May 25, 2018 at about 7:42 pm local time, a 1942 Beech D17S, registered N79091, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 2018 · about 7:42 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D17S, built 1942 · all D17Ss on the register
- Registration
- N79091 · no longer on the register · serial 1020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting a cross-country flight in day visual meteorological conditions. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) track data revealed that most of the flight was flown at a cruise altitude of 10,500 ft mean sea level (msl) on a direct course to the planned destination. About 23 minutes before the accident, the airplane began shallow turns to the right and left of a direct course to the destination, consistent with the pilot making manual course corrections as the airplane continued toward the airport. Similarly, the airplane's altitude began to fluctuate ±100 feet from the target cruise altitude of 10,500 ft msl. About 2.5 minutes before the accident, the airplane entered a descent from 10,500 ft msl. During the final 2 minutes of the flight, the airplane had an average descent rate of 1,375 ft per minute and a ground speed between 99 knots and 121 knots. The final ADS-B return was about 385 ft east-northeast of the accident site at 7,025 ft msl (near ground level), and the ground speed was about 106 knots. At no point during the flight did the pilot declare an emergency with air traffic control or report having any problems. There were no witnesses to the accident. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane's landing gear and flaps were retracted. The fuel tanks ruptured during impact; however, fuel was observed in fuel lines, the engine-driven fuel pump, and the carburetor. The propeller exhibited damage consistent with the engine operating at the time of impact. Autopsy and toxicology of the pilot revealed no evidence of physiological impairment or incapacitation. The reason for the airplane's descent and impact with terrain could not be determined based on the available information.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,541 hours in all; 4,503.7 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 6, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,960.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 31, 2017; 131 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-14B (piston); 4,960 hours total
- Operator: Mid Continent Instrument Company, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: PYX Perryton TX at 5:50 pm
- Destination: ABQ Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from 0E0, 28 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN18FA192.