Cessna 152 accident near Sunspot, New Mexico, June 14, 1985
On June 14, 1985 at about 2:55 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N47822, was destroyed in an accident near Sunspot, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 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
- June 14, 1985 · about 2:55 pm local time
- Place
- Sunspot, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N47822 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS FLYING IN THE VALLEYS OF MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. HE ELECTED TO FLY TO THE LEFT AROUND WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SMALL HILL, BUT WAS ACTUALLY PART OF A RIDGE LINE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT ENTERED A 'DRAW' & WOULD NOT OUT-CLIMB RISING TERRAIN. THE ACFT BEGAN MUSHING, SO THE PLT LOWERED THE NOSE, SELECTED 10 DEG OF FLAPS & TRIED TO LAND IN A RELATIVELY FLAT AREA. HOWEVER, THE ACFT PITCHED FORWARD & IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A 45 DEG ANGLE WHILE AT A SPEED OF APRX 45 TO 50 KTS. THE ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT 8500 FT.
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
- Flight time: 282 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,670 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 15, 1984; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALM Alamogordo NM at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.