Cessna 172M accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico, August 5, 1989
On August 5, 1989 at about 9:58 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9183H, was destroyed in an accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL AND CARBURETOR HEAT DURING A TAKEOFF IN HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1989 · about 9:58 pm local time
- Place
- Ruidoso, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9183H · no longer on the register · serial 17265998
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N9183H HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM AN 8100 X 100 FT ASPHALT RWY WHERE THE ELEV IS 6811 FT MSL. THERE WAS A RIGHT QUARTERING HEADWIND AT 10 KTS AND THE TEMP WAS 81 DEG F. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 9400 FT. THE PLT SAID HE LEANED THE MIXTURE AT 2000 RPM DURING THE RUNUP AND AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE RPM, AIRSPEED, AND ALTITUDE. THE PLT SAID HE FIRST ENRICHED THE MIXTURE AND THEN LEANED IT OUT AGAIN. HE THEN APPLIED CARB HEAT AS THE RPM HAD DECREASED TO 1900. WHEN THE RPM REACHED 1800, THE PLT DECIDED AN OFF AIRPORT FORCED LANDING WAS INEVITABLE. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO TREES 1/4 MILE SOUTH OF THE SOUTH END OF THE RWY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 963 hours in all; 548 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 882 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,368 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 18, 1989; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SSB at 9:55 pm
- Destination: SJT San Angelo TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from SRR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.