Beech A36 accident near Farmington, New Mexico, January 26, 2006
On January 26, 2006 at about 1:30 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N1830V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmington, New Mexico (Four Corners Regional airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's improper flare, resulting in a hard landing. Contributing factors were the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot, and the dark night light conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 2006 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Farmington, New Mexico · Four Corners Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N1830V · registry record · serial E-3087
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot in the left seat was working on his commercial pilot certificate, and was receiving instruction from the flight instructor in night takeoffs and landings. On the first landing attempt, the approach and landing speed "looked good" to the instructor. "[The] pilot apparently did not flare sufficiently to avoid [a] hard landing and bounce." The instructor took control of the airplane and brought it to a full stop. One additional takeoff and full stop landing was made by the pilot receiving instruction. The airplane was then secured for the night. The damage was discovered the next morning by another pilot performing a preflight inspection.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 831 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 109 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 730 as pilot in command; 403 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 59 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 15 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,715 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMN Farmnington NM at 1:15 am
- Destination: FMN Farmington NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 6,704 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from FMN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 N1830V 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.