Amateur-built MUSTING II accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico, July 17, 1986
On July 17, 1986 at about 5:46 pm local time, a amateur-built MUSTING II, registered N976J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico (Ruidoso Muni 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
- July 17, 1986 · about 5:46 pm local time
- Place
- Ruidoso, New Mexico · Ruidoso Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MUSTING II
- Registration
- N976J · no longer on the register · serial 185
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N976J LANDED ON RWY 18, WHICH IS 5,500 FT LONG AND 75 WIDE AND HAS A CONCRETE SURFACE. THE WIND WAS FROM 210 DEG AT 10 WITH GUSTS TO 20 KTS. THE PLT REPORTS THAT THE CROSSWIND CAUSED A SWERVE TO THE RIGHT AND THE ACFT RAN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN COLLIDED WITH A DRAINAGE DITCH AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING.
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: 443 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 385 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 585 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 1986; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,685 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-349 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ROW Roswell NM at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:48 pm from RUI
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.