Aerovodochody L 29 DELFIN accident near Moriarty, New Mexico, June 8, 2018
On June 8, 2018 at about 1:53 pm local time, a 1971 Aerovodochody L 29 DELFIN, registered N4323N, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Moriarty, New Mexico (Moriarty airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper glidepath during a visual approach and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in ground impact before the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2018 · about 1:53 pm local time
- Place
- Moriarty, New Mexico · Moriarty · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerovodochody L 29 DELFIN NO SERIES, built 1971 · all L 29 DELFINs on the register
- Registration
- N4323N · registry record · serial 194145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was receiving his second training flight after purchasing the vintage single-engine, turbine-powered airplane. While on a visual approach, the pilot flew below the glidepath with a slow airspeed and allowed a sink rate to develop. Subsequently, the flight instructor assumed control of the airplane and applied full engine power; however, the airplane continued to settle and impacted terrain 1/2 mile short of the runway. The flight instructor stated that he had "let his guard down" during the final approach and had not intervened quickly enough because the airplane descended below the glidepath. The pilot's failure to maintain a proper glidepath and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action allowed the airplane to descend and hit terrain short of the runway.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 5,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 15, 2018
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,878 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 878 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 9, 2006
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 739 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 1, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Motorlet M701-500C (turbojet); 1,522 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0E0 Moriarty NM at 1:45 pm
- Destination: 0E0 Moriarty NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 7,702 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KCQC, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N4323N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 CEN18LA218.