Piper PA-28R-201T accident near Radium Springs, New Mexico, March 15, 1993
On March 15, 1993 at about 2:42 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, registered N47402, was destroyed in an accident near Radium Springs, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANE'S VACUUM SYSTEM. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE DARK NIGHT, SNOW, THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN FLYING IN ACTUAL INTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 1993 · about 2:42 am local time
- Place
- Radium Springs, New Mexico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201T PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N47402 · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7703371
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 10,000 FT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHE WAS IN LIGHT SNOW. SUBSEQUENTLY, SHE REPORTED THAT SHE HAD LOST THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR, WAS IN IMC, AND '...WE'RE IN TROUBLE.' NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY BROKE UP IN FLIGHT. MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION OF THE WARNING LIGHT BULB FOR THE VACUUM SYSTEM REVEALED A STRETCHED FILAMENT. PITTING AND SCORING WAS NOTED IN THE BASE OF THE VACUUM PUMP CASE. ENERGY DISPERSIVE X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY PRODUCED SPECTRA OF PARTICLES FOUND IN THE VACUUM PUMP REGULATOR VALVE SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE VACUUM PUMP ROTOR AND VANE FRAGMENTS. WITH 2.2 INCHES OF MERCURY DIFFERENTIAL AIR PRESSURE, THE NORMAL TEST PRESSURE, THE ROTOR OF THE ATTITUDE GYRO ASSEMBLY STARTED, BUT THE ROTOR BEARINGS WERE VERY ROUGH. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST KNOWN FLIGHT IN ACTUAL INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,482 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,406 as pilot in command; 916 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,170 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 1993; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-FB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ Albuquerque NM at 1:34 am
- Destination: LRU Las Cruces NM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from ABQ
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.
Other NTSB records under N47402 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.