Cessna 337 accident near Belen, New Mexico, February 17, 1985
On February 17, 1985 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Cessna 337, registered N6381F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belen, New Mexico (Alexander 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
- February 17, 1985 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Belen, New Mexico · Alexander · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337 · all 337s on the register
- Registration
- N6381F · no longer on the register · serial 3370381
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED GEAR UP DURING A PRACTICE OF TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. THE PRIVATE PLT CHANGED HIS CHOICE OF RWYS DURING THE APPROACH. IN A POST ACCIDENT INTERVIEW HE STATED THAT HE RAISED THE LNDG GEAR & FORGOT TO RE-EXTEND IT AFTER WSTABLISHING A NEW APPROACH PATTERN FOR THE NEXT LNDG ON RWY 03. THE PREVIOUS LNDGS WERE ON RWY 21. THE WIND WAS REPORTED AS FROM 360 DEGS AT 05 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 10 KTS. THE PLT REPORTED ON HIS WRITTEN FORM THAT THERE WAS 'NOT MUCH WIND AND NO TRAFFIC'. HIS RECOMMENDATION--'NEVER FAIL TO DO A GUMP CHECK BEFORE LANDING'. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT AN UNCONTROLLED (UNMANNED/NON-EXISTANT TWR) ARPT.
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
- Flight time: 460 hours in all; 273 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 18, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ Albuquerque NM at 7:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 4,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.