Piper PA-34-200T accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico, June 16, 1989
On June 16, 1989 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N36345, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico (Las Cruces airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TRUNNION. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS: INADEQUATE INSPECTION PROCEDURE IN PIPER SERVICE BULLETIN #787A.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 1989 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Las Cruces, New Mexico · Las Cruces · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N36345 · registry record · serial 34-7870321
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE ACFT THEN VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY & WAS FURTHER DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED AFTER THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TRUNNION HAD FAILED. THE TRUNNION FAILED IN AN AREA THAT WAS ADDRESSED BY PIPER SERVICE BULLETIN #787A. SERVICE BULLETIN #787A REQUIRED AN INSPECTION OF THE TRUNNION AT THE 1ST 1000 HRS TIME IN SERVICE AND THEREAFTER AT INTERVALS NOT TO EXCEED 100 HRS UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED BY A MODIFIED TRUNNION. THE ACFT HAD FLOWN 67 HRS SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,540 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 419 in the last 90 days; 148 in the last 30 days; 1,401 as pilot in command; 1,215 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,986 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 19, 1989; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental LTSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: North American Ins Of Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: LRU at 4:50 pm
- Destination: LRU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 7,494 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.