Cessna R172E accident near Farmington, New Mexico, August 6, 1984
On August 6, 1984 at about 4:54 pm local time, a Cessna R172E, registered N601SP, was destroyed in an accident near Farmington, New Mexico. It was an aerial observation flight under public-use (government) rules. 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1984 · about 4:54 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172E · all R172Es on the register
- Registration
- N601SP · registry record · serial R1720253
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER BEING AIRBORNE 1 HOUR AND 10 MINUTES THE TRAFFIC SURVIELLANCE FLT WAS CANCELLED. THE PLT TRANSMITTED TO THE POLICEUNITS ON THE GROUND THAT HE WOULD 'BUZZ' THEM AS HE LEFT THE AREA. DURING THIS PASS THE ACFT STRUCK A HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION LINE 88.9 FT AGL. THE ACFT IMPACTED OUT OF CONTROL IN APRX 70 DEG ANGLE OF BANK 216 FT FROM THE WIRE- STRIKE. MOST OF THE WRECKAGE WAS CONSUMED BY POST CRASH FIRE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,435 hours in all; 2,121 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,065 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 11, 1984; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: New Mexico State Police
The flight
- Departed from: FMN Farmington NM at 3:38 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:42 pm from FMN, 5 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 N601SP 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.