Cessna 177RG accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 25, 1989
On March 25, 1989 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N2972X, was destroyed in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Coronado airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF FLAPS DURING TAKEOFF WHICH RESULTED IN INADEQUATE AIRSPEED, A STALL, AND LOSS OF CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 1989 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Coronado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N2972X · no longer on the register · serial 177000372
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SURVIVING PAX SAID ACFT BANKED STEEPLY TO LEFT AFTER TAKEOFF AND SHUDDERED. HE SAW PLT REACH FOR FLAP CONTROL HANDLE. PAX REMEMBERED HORN BLOWING IN BACKGROUND. WITNESSES SAID ACFT SPEED AND CLIMB RATE WERE SLOW AND SAW ACFT WOBBLE AND DIP WINGS. ONE WITNESS, IN LINE WITH ACFT TAKEOFF PATH, SAW FLAPS BEING RETRACTED SLIGHTLY. EXAMINATION OF WRECKAGE DISCLOSED FLAP JACKSCREW EXTENDED 10 THREADS OR 1.66 INCHES, EQUIVALENT TO APRX 14 DEG FLAPS DOWN. MANUFACTURER SUGGESTS TAKE OFF WITH FLAPS UP OR 1/4 (7.5 DEG) DOWN. PLT WAS KNOWN TO HAVE HABIT OF STARTING TAKEOFF ROLL WITH FLAPS UP AND, AS LIFTOFF SPEED WAS ATTAINED, TO 'SLAP' FLAP HANDLE DOWN TO DETENT (1/4 OR 7.5 DEG SETTING). EXPERIMENTATION LATER SHOWED THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE TO SLAP FLAP HANDLE INADVERTENTLY PAST DETENT OR FULL DOWN POSITION.
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: 1,700 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,624 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 14, 1988; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4AC at 5:30 pm
- Destination: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,010 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:48 pm from ABQ, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.