Taylorcraft 20 accident near Moriarty, New Mexico, September 15, 2000
On September 15, 2000 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Taylorcraft 20, registered N1036G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moriarty, New Mexico (Moriarty airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot prematurely flaring the airplane, resulting in a hard landing, and causing a loss of directional control. Factors were excessive airspeed and the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2000 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Moriarty, New Mexico · Moriarty · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft 20 · all 20s on the register
- Registration
- N1036G · no longer on the register · serial 20-036
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he landed on runway 8 into a 5 to 8 knot crosswind from the southeast. His airspeed was 'a little fast and [he] dropped the airplane hard on the runway.' It bounced, settled back onto the runway, then veered sharply to the left. Despite full right rudder input, the airplane exited the runway, ground looped to the left, and slid sideways, collapsing the right main landing gear. According to an FAA inspector who examined the accident site, the pilot landed on runway 26.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 390 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 313 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 747 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 8, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GCN Grand Canyon AZ at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 0E0
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 7,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:30 pm from CQC, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.