Cessna 172H accident near Tres Piedras, New Mexico, October 22, 1994
On October 22, 1994 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N2721L, was destroyed in an accident near Tres Piedras, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING WHICH LED TO MANEUVERING AT SLOW AIRSPEED TO AVOID TERRAIN WHICH RESULTED IN FURTHER LOSS OF AIRSPEED AND AN AERODYNAMIC STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1994 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Tres Piedras, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2721L · registry record · serial 17255921
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT WAS REQUIRED TO CLEAR 10,000 FOOT MOUNTAINS. AS THE PILOT BEGAN HIS CLIMB HE REALIZED THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT CLEAR THE RIDGE LINE SO HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREES. DURING THE TURN TO THE LEFT HE NOTICED THE AIRSPEED HAD DROPPED FROM 80 - 90 KNOTS TO 60 KNOTS, AND THE GPS WAS INDICATING A 'SLOW GROUND SPEED.' HE ALSO RECALLED HEARING THE STALL WARNING HORN AND THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE DIPPING. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK SEVERAL TREES AND DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL TO GROUND IMPACT.
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: 1,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: RTN Raton NM
- Destination: DRO Durango CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N2721L 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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 FTW95LA025.