Cessna 140 accident near Espanola, New Mexico, January 2, 1994
On January 2, 1994 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N89036, was substantially damaged in an accident near Espanola, New Mexico (Espanola airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WAS THE DUAL STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR WAS THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1994 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Espanola, New Mexico · Espanola · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N89036 · no longer on the register · serial 8334
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT, THE STUDENT PILOT MADE THREE GOOD LANDINGS. ON THE FOURTH LANDING, AS THE AIRPLANE STARTED ITS LANDING ROLL, IT VEERED TO THE RIGHT, DEPARTED THE RUNWAY ONTO ROUGH TERRAIN, AND CAME TO REST IN A DITCH. THE INSTRUCTOR APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER, BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,725 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 1,550 as pilot in command; 224 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,190 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1993; 107 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAM Los Alamos NM at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,995 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from LAM, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.