Cessna 152 accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico, December 8, 1991
On December 8, 1991 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4628Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGMENT OF THE AIRPLANE'S PERFORMANCE WHICH LED TO A SITUATION WHERE IT COULD NOT CLIMB ABOVE THE RISING TERRAIN. A FACTOR WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE WHICH EXISTED IN THE MOUNTAINS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1991 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Las Cruces, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4628Q · no longer on the register · serial 15285043
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT HAD COMPLETED HIS PRIVATE PILOT MANEUVER SEQUENCE AND WAS RETURNING TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. HE STATED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE MOUNTAIN AND RISING TERRAIN BETWEEN HIM AND THE AIRPORT, BUT THOUGHT HE WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM CROSSING OVER THEM. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ENDED UP IN A RAVINE BETWEEN TWO HILLS WITH THE AIRPLANE IN A SLIGHT CLIMB. HE SAW A BLIND CANYON IN FRONT OF HIM AND TURNED LEFT WHERE HE ENCOUNTERED A SECOND BLIND CANYON. AT THAT POINT THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE WOULD NOT CLEAR THE RISING TERRAIN AND ADDED 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS, HOWEVER, THAT DID NOT ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM. THE NOSE GEAR THEN STRUCK BRUSH IN THE RAVINE AND THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN OPERATING NORMALLY THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE SITE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS CALCULATED TO BE ABOUT 7,550 FEET.
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: student
- Flight time: 101 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,844 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 26, 1991; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: N. American Inst. Of Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from DMN, 15 miles away
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.