Cessna 152 accident near Gallup, New Mexico, July 14, 1988
On July 14, 1988 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48055, 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; 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
- July 14, 1988 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gallup, New Mexico · Gallup Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N48055 · no longer on the register · serial 15283275
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO TAKEOFF FROM THE 6469 FT MSL AIRPORT, THE PILOT LEANED THE MIXTURE AT 2000 RPM. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APRX 9100 FT MSL. THE 10-DEG FLAP TAKEOFF AND CLIMBOUT TO 300 FT AGL WAS SAID TO BE NORMAL INITIALLY; THEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE RPM REMAINED AT ABOUT 2000 RPM. THE PILOT SAID HE RAISED THE FLAPS AND LOWERED THE NOSE TO REACQUIRE VY, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED LOSING ALTITUDE. THE PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN OPEN PASTURE APRX 3 MILES WEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND DEPLOYED FULL FLAPS. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AND, DURING ROLLOUT, HIT A SMALL GULLY AND FLIPPED OVER. THE PILOT SAID HEAVY RAIN FELL 45 MIN AFTER THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO GALLUP FSS, A THUNDERSTORM MOVED S OF THE ARPT AT 1349 WITH RAINSHOWERS OF UNKNOWN INTENSITY IN ALL QUADRANTS. ACFT HANBOOK STATES THAT THE MIXTURE SHOULD BE LEANED AT 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: 94 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 21 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,235 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 10, 1988; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: King Air, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: GUP Gallup NM at 7:30 pm
- Destination: SAF Santa Fe NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from GUP, 3 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.