Smith LONG-EZ accident near Cloudcroft, New Mexico, June 12, 1995
On June 12, 1995 at about 5:16 pm local time, a Smith LONG-EZ, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N86PD, was destroyed in an accident near Cloudcroft, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM TREES. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT EXCEEDED THE ALLOWABLE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE, THE RISING TERRAIN, AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 1995 · about 5:16 pm local time
- Place
- Cloudcroft, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith LONG-EZ, amateur-built
- Registration
- N86PD · registry record · serial 1059
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LINEMAN AT ALAMOGORDO AIRPORT REPORTED ADDING 28 GALLONS OF 100LL AVGAS TO THE FUEL TANKS. THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF WITH TWO MEN (APPROXIMATELY 195 POUNDS EACH PLUS PERSONAL ITEMS). THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING LOW OVER HIGH ROLLS, NEW MEXICO AND EAST TOWARDS PINEY WOODS, NEW MEXICO. WITNESSES IN PINEY WOODS REPORTED TO THE STATE POLICE THAT 'THE AIRCRAFT WAS CIRCLING SO LOW THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO LAND.' THE AIRPLANE WAS NEXT OBSERVED AT THE TOP OF THE VALLEY IN THE MOUNTAIN PASS VILLAGE OF CLOUDCROFT, NEW MEXICO, WHERE A WITNESS REPORTED THAT IT OVERFLEW THE VILLAGE 'AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE AND MISSED THE TOP OF MY BUILDING BY 30 FEET.' THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED SEVERAL TIMES MAKING ABRUPT STEEP BANK HEADING CHANGES. ONE WITNESS REPORTED THAT 'THE PLANE WAS ON ITS SIDE AND THE WINGS WERE PERPENDICULAR TO THE GROUND.' THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TALL PINE TREE AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE ELEVATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 8,665 FEET AND THE CALCULATED DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 11,900 FEET.
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: 1,025 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 637 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 1994; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALM Alamogordo NM at 4:55 pm
- Destination: ROW Roswell NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:57 pm from HMN, 25 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.