Piper Aerostar 602P accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 9, 2002
On May 9, 2002 at about 5:47 pm local time, a Piper Aerostar 602P, registered N61RG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque Intl. Sunport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delayed extension of the main landing gear prior to the landing flare/touchdown, which resulted in a wheels-up landing. A contributing factor was the loss of engine power for an undetermined reason.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2002 · about 5:47 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque Intl. Sunport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper Aerostar 602P
- Registration
- N61RG · registry record · serial 62P-0930-8165053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on final approach for runway 3 at about 300-400 feet agl when the left engine lost power. The pilot performed a missed approach due to his inability to keep the airplane aligned with the runway with the loss of engine power and the crosswind conditions. The airplane was losing altitude and the pilot feathered the propeller. Subsequently, the pilot retracted the flaps and the landing gear. By this time, the airplane was at a low altitude, and the pilot delayed performing the landing gear extension procedure. The landing gear did not lock prior to touchdown on the runway, and the airplane landed wheels-up, and slid to a stop. The wind was from 140 degrees at 13 knots with gusts to 17 knots. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 65 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 950 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 13, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,196 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 23, 2002; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,315 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-U2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ICT Wichita KS at 4:24 pm
- Destination: ABQ Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from ABQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.