Piper PA-46T accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, January 10, 2002
On January 10, 2002 at about 5:57 pm local time, a Piper PA-46T, registered N87WW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Double Eagle II 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain/maintain proper runway alignment. Contributing factors were the pilot's inadvertant flight into adverse weather conditions, the pilot not performing a missed approach, and the low ceiling and snow weather conditions .
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 2002 · about 5:57 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Double Eagle II
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46T · all PA-46Ts on the register
- Registration
- N87WW · registry record · serial 4608034
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he checked the automated weather observing system (AWOS) before he executed an instrument landing system (ILS) approach, and it indicated "VFR" conditions. The pilot reported that at approximately 100 feet agl, the airplane descended from the clouds and was aligned right of the runway. The pilot attempted to align the airplane with the runway by banking left and then right. As the airplane banked right, the right wing struck the runway. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the runway, exited the runway to the south, and slid about 1,500 feet before coming to a stop upright. The pilot reported that at the time of the accident, snow was falling heavily, light turbulence was present, and the sky was obscured.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 3,450 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 3, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 28, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6-34A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1F0 Ardmore OK at 3:30 pm
- Destination: AEG Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 7,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
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.