Cessna 402 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, January 18, 1988
On January 18, 1988 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Cessna 402, registered N2614U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people 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
- January 18, 1988 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402 · all 402s on the register
- Registration
- N2614U · no longer on the register · serial 402C0094
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ATP RATED PLT AND A COMMERCIAL RATED PASSENGER WERE TAKING A SCHEDULED CARGO FLIGHT FROM ALBUQUERQUE TO LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO. THE RUNWAY WAS COVERED WITH SNOW, ICE AND WATER FROM A SNOW STORM THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. IT WAS SNOWING LIGHTLY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT AND GROUND CREW CLEANED MOST OF THE SNOW OFF THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO TAXI. THE PLT ELECTED TO DEPART VFR RATHER THAN WAIT FOR HIS PREVIOUSLY FILED IFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED TO VR, BUT WOULD NOT LIFT OFF. BOTH PLTS DESCRIBED FEELING A SHUDDER 'LIKE A STALL'. THE PIC ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AFTER USING OVER 75% OF THE RUNWAY. BRAKING DID NOT STOP THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT LEFT THE RUNWAY, CROSSED THE OVERRUN AND CAME TO REST 100 YARDS INTO A BRUSH COVERED FIELD. THE LANDING GEAR WAS SHEARED AT IMPACT WITH LOWER TERRAIN BEYOND THE RUNWAY OVERRUN.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,890 hours in all; 1,105 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 5,650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,282 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 28, 1987; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: South Aero Services
The flight
- Destination: LRU Las Cruces NM
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 12, 5,395 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from ABQ, 2 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.