Piper PA-34-200T accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico, April 17, 1984
On April 17, 1984 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N6174H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico (Ruidoso airport). It was a personal 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 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
- April 17, 1984 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ruidoso, New Mexico · Ruidoso · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N6174H · registry record · serial 34-7870055
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT A COMBINATION OF HIGH GROUND SPEED, TURBULENCE AND A DOWNDRAFT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT THE RWY. THE PLT SAID HE THOUGHT IT BETTER TO LAND AS HE DID THAN TO ATTEMPT A GO-AROUND BECAUSE OF HIGH TERRAIN TO THE NORTH.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 640 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 28, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 4,520 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TS10-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RBD Dallas TX at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from RUI
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 N6174H 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.