Piper PA-32-300 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 17, 1994
On March 17, 1994 at about 2:55 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N8933N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Double Eagle airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CFI RATED SECOND PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE ILS GLIDESLOPE. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT AND LACK OF SUPERVISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 1994 · about 2:55 am local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Double Eagle · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N8933N · no longer on the register · serial 32-40733
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DARK NIGHT ILS APPROACH, BEING FLOWN BY THE CFI RATED PASSENGER, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A SET OF POWER LINES 200 YARDS FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THIS WAS THE FOURTH APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22 WHEN THE WIRE STRIKE OCCURRED. FOLLOWING THE INITIAL WIRE CONTACT THE CFI APPLIED POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THEM. FOLLOWING THE APPLICATION OF POWER THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT AND STRUCK A SECOND SET OF WIRES AND DESCENDED TO GROUND IMPACT. THE PIC/OWNER REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TWO DOTS LOW ON THE ILS GLIDESLOPE JUST PRIOR TO THE WIRE STRIKE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,893 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 8, 1994; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 7,398 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from ABQ, 11 miles away
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.
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.