Cessna 177 accident near Farmington, New Mexico, January 22, 2002
On January 22, 2002 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N29406, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmington, New Mexico (Four Corners Regional airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion while in the traffic pattern at the destination airport.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 2002 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, New Mexico · Four Corners Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N29406 · no longer on the register · serial 17700866
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot planned a 3-hour and 45-minute cross-country flight, and estimated that the single-engine airplane had 5.0 hours of fuel on board. The Hobbs meter in the aircraft indicated that the accident flight lasted 4.9 hours. The airplane was in the traffic pattern at the destination airport when the pilot reported that he had lost engine power. Witnesses reported observing the airplane on final approach and noticed not hearing any engine noise. The airplane impacted a 30-degree slope approximately 30 feet below the top of the mesa. The airport was located on and approximately 1,000 feet short of the runway threshold. A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of usable fuel. No other anomalies were noted during the examination of the airframe or engine. The pilot was unable to recall the final 10 minutes of the flight.
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
- Flight time: 140 hours in all; 96 in this make and model; 34 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 6, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,185.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 2002; 6.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TDW Amarillo TX at 12:15 pm
- Destination: FMN Farmington NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 5, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from FMN
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.