Cessna 152 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, January 31, 1982
On January 31, 1982 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N89963, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque Intl. airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 1982 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque Intl.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N89963 · registry record · serial 15282931
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR ELECTED TO USE A 2800 TO 3200 FT ROAD AS A LANDING STRIP TO PRACTICE A LANDING AND TAKEOFF. THE INSTRUCTOR HAD USED THE ROAD MANY TIMES BEFORE AND CONSIDERED IT AN IDEAL PRACTICE AREA. THE ROAD HAD BEEN RECENTLY GRADED, WAS LOCATED AWAY FROM POPULATED AREAS, AND WAS AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 5300 FT. AFTER DEMONSTRATING AN OFF FIELD LANDING, THE INSTRUCTOR BEGAN A TAKEOFF TO THE NORTH. THE WIND WAS FROM 220 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS. A SOFT FIELD TECHNIQUE WAS USED DURING THE FIRST 1/4 OF THE TAKEOFF. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED REALIZING A MISTAKE AND SWITCHED TO A SHORT FIELD TECHNIQUE AND CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF. DURING ROTATION, THE NOSE GEAR CONTACTED A GRADE OF DIRT WITH A LOUD BANG. THE INSTRUCTOR SUSPECTED POSSIBLE DAMAGE AND MADE THE LANDING AFTER RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT. DURING LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED LEFT AS THE NOSE SETTLED TO THE RUNWAY. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONTROLLED BY USING RUDDER. THE PILOT REPORTED TAXIING WITH LITTLE DIFFICULTY UNTIL THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING A RIGHT TURN.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,590 hours in all; 340 in this make and model; 221 in the last 90 days; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 800 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kirkland Afb Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: Albuquerque NM at 12:02 pm
- Destination: Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 30, 5,395 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 113°F (45°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 FTW82DA052.