Cessna 140 accident near Alamagordo, New Mexico, August 7, 1983
On August 7, 1983 at about 5:13 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N1866V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alamagordo, New Mexico (Alamagordo airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- August 7, 1983 · about 5:13 pm local time
- Place
- Alamagordo, New Mexico · Alamagordo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N1866V · no longer on the register · serial 14077
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TOPPING THE ACFT WITH FUEL, THE PLT TOOK OF FROM THE 4200 FT HIGH RWY, TOWARD THE MOUNTAINS. THE DENSITY ALT AT THAT TIME WAS ABOUT 6700 FT. DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE PLT ROTATED AT 50 MPH, THEN ACCELERATED IN GROUND EFFECT TO 70 MPH. HE THEN STARTED TO CLIMB, BUT THE AIRSPEED BLEED OFF RAPIDLY AS THE ACFT GOT OUT OF GROUND EFFECT. THE PLT ATTEMPTED FLY THE ACFT IN GROUND EFFECT AGAIN, BUT HAD TO MANEUVER TO AVOID A POWER LINE & A HOUSE. WHILE TURNING TO AVOID OBSTRUCTIONS THE ACFT STALLED AT ABOUT 20 FT AGL & IMPACTED LEFT WING 1ST. THE PLT THOUGHT THERE WAS A PARTIAL POWER LOSS, BUT NO PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS VERIFIED.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,570 hours in all; 135 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 3,292 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: HMN Holloman Afb NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 7,005 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from HMN, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.