Cessna C-182 accident near Gallup, New Mexico, November 29, 1985
On November 29, 1985 at about 2:30 am local time, a Cessna C-182, registered N52599, was destroyed in an accident near Gallup, New Mexico (Gallup airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 29, 1985 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Gallup, New Mexico · Gallup · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-182
- Registration
- N52599 · no longer on the register · serial 18262698
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DEPARTED LAS CRUCES, NM, ON A VFR FLT TO GALLUP,NM. APPROX 23 MILES FROM DESTINATION, IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT ENCOUNTERED UNFORECAST SNOW STORM CONDITONS AT NIGHT. WHILE THE PLT WAS MANEUVERING TOWARD THE DESTINATION AT A LOW ALTITUDE IN CONDITIONS OF LOW CEILING, LOW VISIBILITY AND DARKNESS, THE ACFT IMPACTED TREES AND CRASHED.
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: 272 hours in all; 60 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,598 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 26, 1985; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LRU Las Cruces NM
- Destination: GUP Gallup NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from GUP, 60 miles away
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.