Cessna 172M accident near Portales, New Mexico, December 27, 1982
On December 27, 1982 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20EB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portales, New Mexico (Portales Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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 27, 1982 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Portales, New Mexico · Portales Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20EB · registry record · serial 17264363
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES SHORT OF THE RWY. WINDS WERE GUSTY 27K.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 136 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,040 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOW Amarillo TX at 6:00 pm
- Destination: C Sugarland TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from CVS, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.