Piper PA-34-200T accident near Canjilon, New Mexico, November 3, 1982
On November 3, 1982 at about 1:07 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N8096D, was destroyed in an accident near Canjilon, New Mexico. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 1982 · about 1:07 am local time
- Place
- Canjilon, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8096D · no longer on the register · serial 34-8233082
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO DEPARTING HELENA, MT AT 1209, THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FROM THE GREAT FALLS FSS. THE DFW 021240Z AREA FORECAST, VALID UNTIL 0700Z ON 11/3/82, WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FSS BRIEFER MADE THIS DEFICIENCY KNOWN TO THE PLT & RECOMMENDED THAT HE RECEIVE ANOTHER BRIEFING DURING HIS REFUELING STOP IN THE SALT LAKE CITY AREA. THE FORECAST CALLED FOR CLOUDS 7000-10000 FT WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS & SNOW SHOWERS OVER NW NMEX SPREADING EASTWARD OVER THE STATE DURING THEAFTERNOON. MOUNTAIN TOPS WOULD BE LOCALLY OBSCURED ABOVE 6000 FT. AIRMET XRAY 1 WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA IN QUESTION CALLING FOR TERRAIN OBSCURATION IN CLOUDS ABOVE 6000 FT & PRECIPITATION WITH FREQUENT RIME ICING BETWEEN 8000 FT & 1400 FT MSL. THE FLT ARRIVED IN OGDEN, UT ABOUT 1400 & SUBSEQUENTLY DEPARTED 1500-1530. THERE IS NO RECORD THAT THE PLT REQUESTED ANOTHER WX BRIEFING. THE ACFT IMPACTED TREES ON THE NE SLOPE OF CANJILON PEAK AT THE 10,481 FT LEVEL. THE WX INFO ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE WAS THE 1852 OBSERVATION AT FARMINGTON, NM LOCATED 100 MI WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE.
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
- Flight time: 175 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 89 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 84 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-KB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ogden UT
- Destination: Taos NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 108°F (42°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from FMN, 100 miles away
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.