Beech A36 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, January 25, 1992
On January 25, 1992 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N88ES, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND FAILED TO PROPERLY MONITOR THE FUEL CONSUMPTION RATE OF THE AIRPLANE WHEN HE PERCEIVED THAT IT MIGHT BE HIGHER THAN NORMAL. THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF FUEL EXHAUSTION, AGGRAVATED BY POSSIBLE FUEL SIPHONING FROM THE TANKS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 1992 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N88ES · registry record · serial E-758
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH ROUGH, SOFT TERRAIN AND THE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING A FORCED LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD. THE FORCED LANDING WAS EXECUTED FOLLOWING A POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION WHILE THE AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDING TO LAND AT ITS DESTINATION. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE SYSTEM FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT AND NO FUEL STAINS WERE FOUND ON THE AIRPLANE. THE PIC STATED THAT THE ESTIMATED TIME EN ROUTE HAD EXTENDED FROM TWO HOURS AND FORTY FIVE MINUTES TO THREE HOURS AND THIRTY SIX MINTES, BUT THAT THE FUEL GAUGES READ EMPTY AND ONE QUARTER FULL WHEN HE ARRIVED IN THE AREA OF HIS DESTINATION. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THAT HE HAD A HANGING MAIN GEAR DOOR AND IT CREATED A LOW PRESSURE AREA NEAR THE FUEL TANK VENTS WHICH PRESSURIZED THE FUEL TANKS AND CAUSED SIPHONING. THE FUEL CONSUMPTION RATE FOR THE OUTBOUND FLIGHT HAD BEEN 12.3 GPH AND THE RETURN FLIGHT FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS 15.8 GPH AT, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE SAME POWER SETTINGS.
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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER(TOTAL) - NONMECHANICAL during descent - normal
- FORCED LANDING during descent - emergency
- ON GROUND/WATER ENCOUNTER WITH TERRAIN/WATER during landing - roll
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, AME, ASE, APLN, none
- Flight time: 11,336 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 115 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 11,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,878 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 28, 1991; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB12 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: P06 Bullhead City AZ at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scattered at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 32°C, dew point 18°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
- Observation at 8:28 pm from ABQ, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW92LA060.