Cessna 320-D accident near El Paso, Texas, May 15, 2003
On May 15, 2003 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 320-D, registered N4111T, was destroyed in an accident near El Paso, Texas (El Paso International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors were the gusty and high wind conditions, and the pilot's failure to compensate for the wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2003 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · El Paso International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320-D · all 320-Ds on the register
- Registration
- N4111T · no longer on the register · serial 320d0011
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While executing a left turn for a crosswind departure, approximately 700-800 feet agl, the 1,104-hour private pilot reported he "lost the left engine," and the pilot attempted to land on the airport taxiway. The airplane impacted the hard surface taxiway in a left wing nose low attitude, came to rest upright, and was partially consumed by a post-impact fire. Prior to departure, the pilot performed an engine run-up and the run-up was normal. One witness reported the takeoff was normal, and the airplane made a left turn for a crosswind departure. During the turn, the left wing came down, then the right, then the left again, and the airplane developed a very high sink rate. Two other witnesses reported the airplane "seemed like it was in trouble...something [was] terribly wrong...the aircraft may have stalled then pitched nose down and then we knew he was coming down." Approximately the time of the accident, the winds were reported 22 knots, gusting to 40 knots, and peak winds from 40 to 44 knots. According to the airplane's performance charts, the calculated airplane's single-engine climb performance was approximately 300 feet per minute. Examination of the airframe and engines did not disclose any structural or mechanical anomalies that would have prevented normal operation. The reason for the reported 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: 1,104 hours in all; 909 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 1,031 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 10, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,703 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 2002; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,520 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 10:54 pm
- Destination: ROW Roswell NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26L, 9,025 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 22 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from ELP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4111T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.