Beech 19 accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, January 2, 1989
On January 2, 1989 at about 8:16 pm local time, a Beech 19, registered N9739L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico (Santa Fe County Muni airport). It was an instructional 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1989 · about 8:16 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · Santa Fe County Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 19 · all 19s on the register
- Registration
- N9739L · no longer on the register · serial MB-525
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS FLYING HER FIRST SUPERVISED SOLO. SHE LANDED ON RUNWAY 20 WITH A WIND FROM 240 DEGREES AT 9 KTS. WITNESSES SAID SHE FLARED HIGH & THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED DURING TOUCHDOWN. ON THE THIRD BOUNCE, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, THEN THE ACFT SKIDDED TO A STOP ON ITS NOSED.
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: student
- Flight time: 37 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,406 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 1988; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAF at 8:00 pm
- Destination: SAF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 8,323 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:49 pm from SAF, 1 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.