Beech F33A accident near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, November 9, 1985
On November 9, 1985 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Beech F33A, registered N4956M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Teresa, New Mexico (Santa Teresa airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- November 9, 1985 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Teresa, New Mexico · Santa Teresa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N4956M · registry record · serial CE-781
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THE CYLINDER HEAD TEMP BEGAN 'FALLING BACK OUT OF GREEN' SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PLT REVERSED DIRECTION & LANDED AT THE ARPT, BUT FAILED TO EXTEND THE GEAR, SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE ACFT. THE INVESTIGATION OF THEENG REVEALED THE EXHAUST VALVE ON THE NO. 3 CYLINDER STUCK OPEN.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 456 hours in all; 456 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,858 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 1985; 111 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LRN Las Cruces NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from ELP, 17 miles away
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.