Cessna 172M accident near Farmington, New Mexico, October 13, 1994
On October 13, 1994 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20384, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmington, New Mexico (Four Corners Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS WERE WIND SHEAR, CROSSWINDS, AND GUSTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 1994 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, New Mexico · Four Corners Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20384 · registry record · serial 17261244
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE A NORMAL NO-FLAP APPROACH AND LANDING ON RUNWAY 7. ATIS REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 110 DEGREES AT 20 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 30 KNOTS, AND A WIND SHEAR ALERT WAS IN EFFECT. AFTER THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, A STRONG WIND GUST CAUSED THE NOSE TO PITCH UP. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO GO AROUND, BUT THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE NOSE WHEEL COLLAPSED.
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, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 33,500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 30,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1994; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VGT Las Vegas NV at 5:00 pm
- Destination: FMN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 7, 6,702 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:49 pm from FMN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.