Beech A60 accident near Hurley, New Mexico, January 6, 1995
On January 6, 1995 at about 1:35 am local time, a Beech A60, registered N3LP, was destroyed in an accident near Hurley, New Mexico. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a single engine approach resulting in an inadvertent stall. Factors were a fatigue separation of a shaft in the left engine turbocharger due to use of a Federal Aviation Administration approved overhaul procedure that was not consistent with the manufacturer's overhaul procedure, and the resultant loss of power to the left engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 1995 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Hurley, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A60 · all A60s on the register
- Registration
- N3LP · no longer on the register · serial P-242
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CLIMB TO CRUISE THE PILOT REPORTED A POWER LOSS ON ONE ENGINE AND RECEIVED VECTORS FOR A RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLEARED FOR THE VOR-A APPROACH AND REPORTED INTERCEPTING THE INBOUND RADIAL. THE IMPACT SITE WAS RIGHT OF THE INBOUND RADIAL AND SHORT OF THE EXTENDED RUNWAY CENTERLINE. WEATHER AT THE AIRPORT WAS VFR. POST IMPACT FIRE DAMAGED THE AIRPLANE. THE LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER WAS IN THE FEATHER POSITION. VISUAL AND METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION CONFIRMED THE TURBOCHARGER SHAFT SEPARATED DUE TO FATIGUE. THE SHAFT CONTAINED CHROMIUM. THE AIRCRAFT OVERHAUL MANUAL STATES THAT 'CHROME PLATING...RESTORATION OF THE SHAFT...ARE NOT PERMITTED.' METALLOGRAHICS REVEALED A MICROSTRUCTURE OF GREY IRON (AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATION) IN THE CENTER HOUSING. THE TURBOCHARGER WAS OVERHAULED AND INSTALLED ON THE LEFT ENGINE IN OCTOBER 1989.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,746 hours in all; 209 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 16, 1993; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,725 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-541-E1C4 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,300 ft; scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:21 am from SVC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.