Douglas DC-3C accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, July 20, 1991
On July 20, 1991 at about 1:20 am local time, a Douglas DC-3C, registered N96H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1991 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-3C · all DC-3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N96H · no longer on the register · serial 19224
- 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
DURING TAKEOFF, THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR TIRE EXPLODED CAUSING THE PILOT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY GROUND LOOPED. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED IN OVERLOAD AS THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND INTO THE DIRT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,277 hours in all; 721 in this make and model; 159 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 3,784 as pilot in command; 613 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 26,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R1830-92 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: B&M Enterprises
The flight
- Destination: ELP El Paso TX
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 17, 10,010 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.