Morane-Saulnier MS760 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 11, 1990
On September 11, 1990 at about 10:00 am local time, a Morane-Saulnier MS760, registered N23ST, was destroyed in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Double Eagle II airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN A CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, PILOT FATIGUE, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN NIGHT FLYING OPERATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1990 · about 10:00 am local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Double Eagle II
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Morane-Saulnier MS760 · all MS760s on the register
- Registration
- N23ST · registry record · serial 50
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT, A HEART TRANSPLANT SURGEON, WAS ADVISED OF A DONOR IN LAS CRUCES, NM. HE AND A PHYSICIAN'S ASSISTANT WERE TO FLY TO LAS CRUCES, RETRIEVE THE DONOR HEART, AND RETURN TO ALBUQUERQUE, WHERE THE TRANSPLANT WAS TO BE PERFORMED. THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING (VMC WAS FORECAST) AND FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. HE FUELED THE JET AIRCRAFT TO CAPACITY AND TOOK OFF INTO A DARK, CLEAR, MOONLESS NIGHT TOWARDS OPEN, FLAT TERRAIN WITH FEW GROUND LIGHTS. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED SECONDS LATER. IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING/NOSE SLIGHTLY LOW ATTITUDE AT HIGH SPEED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME, ENGINES, INSTRUMENTS, OR CONTROLS. THE PILOT HAD BEEN AWAKE FOR 22 HOURS WITH LITTLE OR NO REST. HE WAS NOT CURRENT FOR NIGHT FLIGHT. HIS IFR CURRENCY COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,372 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 1,193 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,108 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 6, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 7,720 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Turbomeca MARBORE VI C2 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Stonewall Transport, INC.
The flight
- Destination: LCR Las Cruces NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 7,398 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 am from ABQ, 11 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.