Beech C23 accident near Gallup, New Mexico, June 5, 1988
On June 5, 1988 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N9311S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gallup, New Mexico (Gallup Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- June 5, 1988 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gallup, New Mexico · Gallup Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N9311S · no longer on the register · serial M 1634
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PLT WAS TAKING OFF WITH THREE PASSENGERS FOR A PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE LEFT THE RUNWAY AND ONLY GAINED ABOUT 50 FEET AGL ACCORDING TO A WITNESS. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT REACHED 200 FEET AGL. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND FELL BACK ON THE RUNWAY, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE RUNWAY FIRST AND THE LANDING GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST OFF THE RUNWAY. THE DESITY ALTITUDE WAS REPORTED BY THE FSS AS 9,200 FEET. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS AIRPLANE WAS LOADED TO WITHIN 20 POUNDS OF THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT. THE PLT ALSO SAID THAT HE HAD NOT LEANED THE MIXTURE PROPERLY AND FELT THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING FULL POWER.
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: 174 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 141 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,634 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 1987; 186 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Amarillo TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 6,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from GUP, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.