Beech A36 accident near Farmington, New Mexico, January 23, 2004
On January 23, 2004 at about 2:16 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N8240U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmington, New Mexico (Four Corners Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision making and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in fuel starvation/exhaustion and a stall spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 2004 · about 2:16 am local time
- Place
- Farmington, New Mexico · Four Corners Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N8240U · no longer on the register · serial E-2665
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot departed Farmington at approximately 1500 for a 3-hour cross-country flight to Canyonlands, Utah, Page, Arizona, and then back to Farmington. The pilot returned to Farmington at approximately 1800. On his return, the pilot requested from the tower clearance to do a few take-offs and landings. He completed nine take-off and landings. Each landing was a full stop, taxi-back, and subsequent take-off (as required by a local training policy). At approximately 1910, the pilot contacted the tower and asked for clearance to take-off and fly the pattern for a tenth time. At approximately 1915, the pilot reported that he had lost engine power. Witnesses stated that the airplane was flying at a low altitude when its wings began to dip side to side. The airplane then pitched nose-up, rolled over, dove, and struck the roof of a police station. An examination of the airplane revealed approximately 4 gallons of fuel in the right wing tank, fuel in the fuel strainer, and no fuel in the lines. 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: 76 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 25 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 17, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,689.7 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 8, 2004; 30.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMN Farmington NM at 2:10 am
- Destination: FMN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 340° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 2:25 am from KFMN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N8240U 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.