Piper PA-32-300 accident near Moriarity, New Mexico, July 20, 1994
On July 20, 1994 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N71RJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moriarity, New Mexico (Moriarity Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE. FACTORS WERE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS, DOWNDRAFTS AND THE DEGRADED ENGINE PERFORMANCE DUE TO PERVIOUS DETONATION DAMAGE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1994 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Moriarity, New Mexico · Moriarity Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N71RJ · registry record · serial 32R-7680451
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DIVERTED EN ROUTE DUE TO THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA. DURING FINAL APPROACH, HE ENCOUNTERED GUSTING CONDITIONS AND THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED RIGHT OFF OF THE CENTER LINE. THE PILOT INITIATED A GO AROUND AT 150 FEET AGL; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE DEVELOPED A SINK RATE AND IT SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB DESPITE FULL POWER. WINDS WERE FROM THE LEFT FRONT QUARTER AT 7 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,200 FEET. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT ALL OF THE PISTON HEADS HAD EROSION AND ALL CYLINDERS HAD LOW COMPRESSION. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS INCIDENT TWO MONTHS PRIOR IN WHICH IT WAS SERVICED WITH 100LL THAT WAS CONTAMINATED WITH AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT OF JET-A.
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: 165 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 149 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,467 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 2, 1994; 128 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TCC Tucumcari NM at 5:30 pm
- Destination: P14 Holbrook AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 7,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N71RJ the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 FTW94LA240.