Beech F-90 accident near Lincoln, New Mexico, December 2, 1989
On December 2, 1989 at about 9:35 pm local time, a Beech F-90, registered N9PU, was destroyed in an accident near Lincoln, New Mexico (Sierra Bianca Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO PILOT DISORIENTATION WHILE CONDUCTING A NON PRECISION INSTRUMENT APPROACH. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT AND MULTIENGINE EXPERIENCE, AND THE EXISTING ADVERSE WEATHER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 1989 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- Lincoln, New Mexico · Sierra Bianca Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech F-90 · all F-90s on the register
- Registration
- N9PU · no longer on the register · serial LA57
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES HEARD THE AIRPLANE CIRCLING IN THE VICINITY OF THE NDB. OTHER WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE EXIT THE CLOUD BASE IN A NEAR-VERTICAL DIVE AND IMPACT THE GROUND APRX 1 MILE EAST AND 1/2 MILE NORTH OF THE NDB.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 569 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 305 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 921 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 21, 1989; 153 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,800 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-135 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA at 7:17 pm
- Destination: SRR Ruidoso NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 8,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from SRR, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.