Cessna 172M accident near Logan, New Mexico, January 29, 2003
On January 29, 2003 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N64312, was substantially damaged in an accident near Logan, New Mexico (Ute Dam Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision, his failure to accomplish appropriate checklist items during the go-around, and his failure to maintain clearance from the trees and the lamp post. Factors contributing to the accident were the low altitude, low airspeed, the trees, and the lamp pole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 2003 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Logan, New Mexico · Ute Dam Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N64312 · no longer on the register · serial 17265162
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he flew low level over Ute Lake from the west and then turned left to line up on the field. The pilot said at the last minute he realized he was lined up on a dirt road. He applied full power. The pilot said he was "too low and too slow, and [the] terrain was rising." He said he was also coming up on stall speed. The pilot said he flew under a first set of power lines and banked left to avoid a second set of power lines. The airplane struck several trees and a light pole crushing both wings rearward and crushing the cowling, firewall, and forward fuselage aft. The pilot said that when he initiated his go-around, he neglected to push in the carburetor heat or retract the flaps. An examination of the airplane at the scene confirmed this. No other anomalies were found.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 133 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 46 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 28, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,273.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 25, 2002; 83.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CVS Clovis NM
- Destination: E97 Logan NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 3,640 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 050° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.