Cessna A185F accident near Conchas Dam, New Mexico, September 2, 1991
On September 2, 1991 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N93272, was substantially damaged in an accident near Conchas Dam, New Mexico (Conchas Lake Spb airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
LANDING GEAR LOCKING MECHANISM LOOSE, LANDING GEAR WHEEL DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY, AND MAINTENANCE ALIGNMENT NOT PERFORMED. FACTORS WERE: PROPELLER GOVERNOR UNDERSPEED, MAINTENANCE ADJUSTMENT NOT CORRECTED, AND LOWERING OF FLAPS NOT PERFORMED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1991 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Conchas Dam, New Mexico · Conchas Lake Spb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N93272 · registry record · serial 18503206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WATERLOOPED DURING THE TAKEOFF RUN AFTER NEARLY WATERLOOPING ON THE PREVIOUS LANDING. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THE LANDING GEAR CABLE WAS IMPROPERLY RIGGED, ALLOWING THE LEFT AFT PONTOON WHEEL TO DEPLOY. MAXIMUM RPM COULD NOT BE ATTAINED BECAUSE THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR WAS NOT PROPERLY ADJUSTED. A REVIEW OF THE ACCIDENT VIDEO TAPE REVEALED AIRCRAFT HAD ATTAINED SUFFICIENT FLYING SPEED. PILOT DID NOT DEPLOY TAKEOFF FLAPS.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 199 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,320 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ELP El Paso TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.