Amateur-built MUSTANG II accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico, April 8, 1993
On April 8, 1993 at about 9:15 pm local time, a amateur-built MUSTANG II, registered N20JV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico (Las Cruces airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE AIRCRAFTS TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE EXCEEDED AND PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR WAS THE WIND
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1993 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Las Cruces, New Mexico · Las Cruces · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MUSTANG II
- Registration
- N20JV · registry record · serial 368
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN ON RUNWAY 30 THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND IT RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A TAXIWAY SIGN. WIND WAS 350 DEGREES AT 20 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE LOST RUDDER AUTHORITY
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, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 28,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 606 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1993; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LRU at 9:15 pm
- Destination: LRU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 7,494 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 FTW93LA119.