Cessna 172M accident near Belen, New Mexico, November 8, 1998
On November 8, 1998 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N8883V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belen, New Mexico (Alexander Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, resulting in fuel supply exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 1998 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belen, New Mexico · Alexander Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N8883V · registry record · serial 17264242
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While en route to Belen, New Mexico, the pilot landed at Fort Sumner where he planned to purchase fuel. He was unable to find a line person to sell him fuel, so flew to Belen without refueling. While on final approach to landing, the engine lost power and the aircraft landed short of the runway. The pilot stated in his accident report: '[I] departed Fort Sumner thinking I had enough fuel to reach Belen. [I] didn't make it.' This was subsequently supported by local authorities, who confirmed they found no evidence of fuel in the fuel tanks.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 7,162 hours in all; 270 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,994 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1998; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FSU Fort Sumner NM at 7:10 pm
- Destination: E80
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 6,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from ABQ, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN99LA019.