Beech A36 accident near Farmington, New Mexico, January 12, 2007
On January 12, 2007 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N8183E, 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; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-rated dual student's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during the landing approach to avoid a stall. Also causal was the flight instructor's failure to provide adequate supervision. Factors associated with the accident are an inadvertent stall, and wind gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 2007 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, New Mexico · Four Corners Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N8183E · registry record · serial E-2612
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot-rated dual student and flight instructor were on final approach to land after a practice instrument approach. The dual student was flying, and, according to statements by the flight instructor and student, he initiated the landing flare too high above the runway and allowed the nose of the airplane to get too high. The instructor told him to lower the nose, and then assisted him in lowering it slightly. As the student continued the approach and reduced engine power, the airspeed deteriorated until the stall warning horn came on. Prior to touchdown, a gust of wind raised the left wing, and the right wing struck the runway. The flight instructor took control and landed the airplane. In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report submitted by the instructor and the student, the section titled, Recommendation (How could this accident been prevented?), contained, in part, the following statement: "This mishap was primarily a function of the student flaring high…and running out of airspeed, causing a stall. The high flare was compounded by the gusty crosswind conditions and not taking timely, positive action to go around"
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: 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: 1,129 hours in all; 665 in this make and model; 259 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,022 as pilot in command; 581 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 161 hours in all; 147 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 108 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,149 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 1, 2007
- 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 Farmington NM at 5:50 pm
- Destination: FMN Farmington NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from FMN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.