Piper PA-28-181 accident near Reserve, New Mexico, April 17, 2008
On April 17, 2008 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N6260J, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Reserve, New Mexico (Reserve airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of aircraft control, resulting in an inadvertent stall. Contributing factors in this accident were the sudden windshift to a gusting tailwind, an uphill runway, high density altitude, the pilot's failure to use all available runwayt, and his lack of experience in high altitude airport operations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2008 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Reserve, New Mexico · Reserve · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N6260J · no longer on the register · serial 28-7690385
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Takeoff was from runway 24. The wind was from 210 degrees at 10 to 12 knots. The pilot said that after the airplane lifted off and climbed above tree level, he encountered a "severe wind gust (right quartering tail wind) from approximately 040 degrees [of] at least 20+ knots." He said the airplane lost lift and was blown off runway centerline. He tried to "stabilize the [air]plane but with [the] loss of lift, [it] impacted [the] ground hard, [with the] nose and left wing, [and] flipped [over]." The airplane caught fire and was totally consumed. Airport elevation is 6,360 feet msl. Runway 06-24 is 4,800 feet long and 50 feet wide, and made of asphalt. Runway 24 has a 1.9 per cent uphill gradient. The pilot estimated his useful load to be 898 pounds and that the airplane weighed approximately 2,430 pounds. Gross weight is 2,550 pounds and empty weight is 1,540 pounds. According to the U.S. Forest Service ranger station, located approximately 5 miles east of the airport, the temperature was 53 degrees F. FAA calculated the density altitude to be between 6,900 and 7,300 feet. The pilot had been certificated for about six weeks, and had minimal high density altitude experience.
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
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during initial climb
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience in position › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway/landing area condition › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 110 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,198 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2007; 140 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: T16 Reserve NM at 6:30 pm
- Destination: FFZ Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 4,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 11 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 5°F (-15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 6:30 pm from SVC, 90 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.