Piper PA-12 accident near Edgewood, New Mexico, December 23, 2003
On December 23, 2003, a Piper PA-12, registered N4159M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Edgewood, New Mexico. 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's inadequate in-flight planning and decision making. Factors contributing to the accident include the resulting fuel exhaustion, the snow covered field and the fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2003
- Place
- Edgewood, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N4159M · registry record · serial 12-3058
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed the morning of the accident with an estimated 16 gallons of fuel on board. Due to headwinds, the flight duration was slightly longer than anticipated. For the afternoon return flight, the pilot diverted to the west of his route due to overcast conditions, again, extending the duration of the flight. Approximately 7 miles west of his destination, the engine lost power and the pilot made a forced landing on a snow covered field. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane prior to impacting a fence causing substantial damage. According to the FAA inspector at the scene, the fuel tanks were empty and no fuel was present in the carburetor.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,948 hours in all; 129 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,767 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 8, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,450 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 2003; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAM Los Alamos NM at 11:30 pm
- Destination: 1N1 Edgewood NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 360° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from ABQ, 22 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.
Other NTSB records under N4159M 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.