Cessna 172S accident near Angel Fire, New Mexico, April 10, 2002
On April 10, 2002 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N960TA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Angel Fire, New Mexico (Angel Fire airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to maintain directional control during the crosswind landing. A contributing factor was the gusting wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2002 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Angel Fire, New Mexico · Angel Fire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N960TA · registry record · serial 172S8960
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing the airplane experienced a strong gust of wind. Subsequently, the airplane veered to the right and exited the runway. The airplane impacted a 4-foot deep drainage ditch that runs parallel to the runway, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The wind was reported by the airport UNICOM to be from 240 degrees at 19 knots.
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: 151 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 80 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 6, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 76 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 8, 2001; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ Albuquerque NM at 5:00 pm
- Destination: AXX Angel Fire NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 8,900 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 19 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 FTW02LA115.