Cessna 172I and Cessna 172N mid-air collision near Las Cruces, New Mexico, April 28, 1999
On April 28, 1999 at about 1:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172I (N46204) and Cessna 172N (N738UF), were involved in a mid-air collision near Las Cruces, New Mexico (Las Cruces International airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot of N46204's failure to maintain visual lookout and to identify the other aircraft visually during landing.
The pilot of N46204's failure to maintain visual lookout and to identify the other aircraft visually during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1999 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Las Cruces, New Mexico · Las Cruces International · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172I · all 172Is on the register
- Registration
- N46204 · registry record · serial 17257106
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738UF · no longer on the register · serial 17270242
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172I final · quoted from the NTSB record
N46204 experienced an electrical failure shortly after takeoff, and the pilot returned for landing. Just prior to touching down on the runway, N46204 landed on top of N738UF. The pilot of N738UF was performing touch and go landings with his student, and had just touched down when N46204 landed on top of the right wing section. Witnesses reported that the pilot of N46204 requested assistance starting the airplane on the morning of the accident due to a low battery, and the aircraft was hand-propped. According to FAR Part 91.113 (b), 'When weather conditions permit... vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft.' In addition, according to FAR 91.113 (g), 'When two or more aircraft are approaching an airport for the purpose of landing, the aircraft at the lower altitude has the right-of-way, but it shall not take advantage of this rule to cut in front of another which is on final approach to land or to overtake that aircraft.'
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172N final · quoted from the NTSB record
SEE NARRATIVE FOR DEN99LA067A
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 for the Cessna 172I from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 601 hours in all; 319 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LRU at 1:40 pm
- Destination: Q34 Portales NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 6,073 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from DMN, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172N from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,826 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 113 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 3,755 as pilot in command; 2,676 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,481 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 2, 1999; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Adventure Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: LRU at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 6,073 ft by 100 ft
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.
Other NTSB records under N46204 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.