Piper PA-28-140 accident near Silver City, New Mexico, October 5, 1984
On October 5, 1984 at about 5:03 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N707FL, was destroyed in an accident near Silver City, New Mexico (Tuner Ridgeport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- October 5, 1984 · about 5:03 pm local time
- Place
- Silver City, New Mexico · Tuner Ridgeport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N707FL · no longer on the register · serial 287225305
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RWY 33. HE CONTINUED TO STATE THAT IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE LANDING FLARE, A 'TERRIFIC DOWNDRAFT' FORCED THE ACFT DOWN ON THE RWY. THE ACFT LANDED HARD AND THE PLT ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND. HE SAID THE ACFT 'DID NOT FLY RIGHT' AFTER THE INITIAL HARD BOUNCE AND VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE ACFT STRUCK SEVERAL FENCE POST AND SETTLED TO THE GROUND. THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 270 DEGREES AT 5 KTS WITH 10 KTS GUSTS.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 655 hours in all; 632 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 569 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,424 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 27, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E20 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Glendale AZ at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 4,000 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.