Cessna 140 accident near Farmington, New Mexico, January 18, 1989
On January 18, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N2652N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmington, New Mexico (Farmington 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER USE OF BRAKES WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, New Mexico · Farmington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2652N · registry record · serial 12910
- 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 PRACTICING LANDINGS ON RWY 25. DURING A LANDING, HE APPLIED LEFT BRAKING TO TURN OFF ONTO A TAXIWAY. THE PLT SAID THAT HE ADDED RIGHT BRAKING TO CORRECT AND THE ACFT GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT. AS THE ACFT DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THE FUSELAGE AND BOTH WINGS WERE BENT.
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: 850 hours in all; 28 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,704 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 2, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMN at 9:00 pm
- Destination: FMN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 6,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from FMN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN89LA063.