Beech 58 accident near Lovington, New Mexico, December 7, 1982
On December 7, 1982, a Beech 58, registered N18HM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lovington, New Mexico (Lovington airport). It was a business 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).
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
- December 7, 1982
- Place
- Lovington, New Mexico · Lovington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N18HM · registry record · serial TH651
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE TAKING OFF WITH A LIGHT CROSSWIND, THE RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR OPENED. WHILE TRYING TO CATCH PAPERS AND HOLD THE DOOR, THE RIGHT PROPELLER STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR BEGAN COLLAPSING. BY THIS TIME, THE PILOT DECIDED THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING TO ABORT, SO HE CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE ON THE SAME RUNWAY BY SETTING THE PLANE DOWN ON THE LEFT MAIN AND NOSE GEAR. AS THE SPEED REDUCED, THE RIGHT WING SETTLED AND A PROPELLER BLADE SEPARATED AND PENETRATED THE FUSELAGE. NO DISCREPANCY WAS REPORTED CONCERNING THE DOOR LATCH.
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
- Flight time: 6,216 hours in all; 4,652 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 6,207 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,821 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E06 Lovington NM at 5:48 pm
- Destination: SAF Sante Fe NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,000 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 154°F (68°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.