Piper PA-36-375 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 25, 1984
On April 25, 1984 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-36-375, registered N2371Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 25, 1984 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36-375 · all PA-36-375s on the register
- Registration
- N2371Y · no longer on the register · serial 36-8102003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD RECENTLY BEEN SOLD & WAS BEING FERRIED TO THE BUYER IN OKLAHOMA. AFTER A REFUELING STOP AT THE CORONADO ARPT, THE PLT TOOK OFF & PROCEEDED NORTHEAST TO AVOID ROTOR CLOUDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SANDIA MOUNTAINS ABOUT 8 MI EAST OF ALBUQUERQUE, NM. THE MOUNTAINS ARE ORIENTED NORTH & SOUTH & EXTEND ABOUT 18 MI NORTH OF ALBUQUERQUE. AFTER GOING AROUND THE NORTH END OF THE MOUNTAINS, THE PLT TURNED SOUTHEAST. HE WAS FLYING AT APRX 1500 FT AGL WHEN THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE & DOWNDRAFTS OVER THE NORTHERN PART OF THE MOUNTAIN RANGE. THE PLT REVERSED COURSE & ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO CORONADO ARPT. HOWEVER, THE ACFT ENTERED MORE 'TURBULENCE & SINK' & THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN HIS ALTITUDE. THE ACFT DESCENDED TO TREETOP HEIGHT, HIT THE TOP OF A SMALL TREE & THE PLT WAS FORCED TO LAND IN AN AREA OF BRUSH. THE 1416 MST WIND AT ALBUQUERQUE WAS FROM 220 DEG AT 30 GUSTING TO 58 KTS.
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: glider
- Flight time: 5,250 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 280 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-D1CD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4AC Albuquerque NM at 8:45 pm
- Destination: Pryor OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 30 knots, gusting 58
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:16 pm from ABQ, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.