Cessna 208A accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico, July 27, 1990
On July 27, 1990 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 208A, registered N105YV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO FAILURE OF THE GAS PRODUCER AND POWER TURBINE ASSEMBLIES. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 1990 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ruidoso, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208A · all 208As on the register
- Registration
- N105YV · registry record · serial 20800105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN POWER WAS REDUCED TO BEGIN INITIAL DESCENT FOR APPROACH AND LANDING THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD. THE ROAD HAD A 4% UPGRADE AND CURVED TO THE RIGHT. DURING THE ROLLOUT THE OUTBOARD END OF THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE DAMAGING THE WING CARRY THROUGH SPAR. METALLURGICAL TESTING REVEALED THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS TO BE FAILURE OF THE GAS PRODUCER TURBINE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,697 hours in all; 491 in this make and model; 268 in the last 90 days; 98 in the last 30 days; 1,572 as pilot in command; 761 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,621 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 21, 1990; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,035 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-114 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mesa Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 3:50 pm
- Destination: SRR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:40 pm from SRR, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.