Cessna 140A accident near Belen, New Mexico, October 1, 1998
On October 1, 1998 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 140A, registered N9403A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belen, New Mexico (Belen Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors were his inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind conditions, and the airplane manufacturer's failure to provide adequate performance data.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1998 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belen, New Mexico · Belen Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140A · all 140As on the register
- Registration
- N9403A · registry record · serial 15224
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the pilot turned onto final approach to runway 21, he had to lower the left wing and apply right rudder to maintain runway alignment. He said the wind had generally been from the south between 15 and 18 knots. As the airplane touched down, a wind gust 'in excess of 20 knots cocked the airplane to the left,' causing the right main landing gear to buckle and separate. According to a Cessna Airplane Company spokesperson, the airplane owner's manual contains no maximum crosswind component data.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,138 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1998; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C--90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DMN Deming NM at 5:30 pm
- Destination: E80 NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 6,600 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 15 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from ABQ, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.