Cessna 180 accident near Gallup, New Mexico, June 21, 1984
On June 21, 1984 at about 3:02 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N153M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gallup, New Mexico (Senator Clarke airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- June 21, 1984 · about 3:02 pm local time
- Place
- Gallup, New Mexico · Senator Clarke · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N153M · registry record · serial 32314
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT WHEEL ASS'Y HAD SEPARATED FROM THE GEAR LEG. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE 2 LOWER BOLTS HAD BEEN STRIPPED PRIOR TO THE WHEEL FAILURE, EITHER BY BEING OVERTORQUED OR BY A SERIES OF HARD LANDINGS. THE PRIOR OWNER HAD USED THE ACFT IN A SPORT PARACHUTE OPERATION.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,643 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 306 in the last 90 days; 6,551 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 15, 1984; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Grand Canyon AZ at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 6,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N153M 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.