Cessna 172A accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, February 22, 2002
On February 22, 2002 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N6845X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico. 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's delay in executing a go-around while conducting a simulated emergency landing, which resulted in an in flight collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 2002 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N6845X · no longer on the register · serial 47745
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a full flap practice emergency landing, the pilot allowed the airplane to get too low before initiating a go-around, and the main landing gear touched down on a dirt road. The pilot applied full power; however, the airplane veered to the left, and the left main landing gear struck a berm on the side of the road. The pilot selected partial flaps and continued to execute the go-around. The airplane bounced several times, stalled, and struck the ground. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest inverted.
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: 74 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 19, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,923 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 17, 2002; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.44 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.