Howard Aircraft Corp. DGA-15P accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico, December 3, 1994
On December 3, 1994 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Howard Aircraft Corp. DGA-15P, registered N88WT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico (Las Cruces Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE BY UNKNOWN MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL. A FACTOR WAS THE COLLAPSED LANDING GEAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 1994 · about 5:30 pm local time · cases in 1994
- Place
- Las Cruces, New Mexico · Las Cruces Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Howard Aircraft Corp. DGA-15P
- Registration
- N88WT · registry record · serial 782
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING THE FOURTH TOUCH AND GO LANDING, UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT, WHEN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR FAILED. FOLLOWING THE COLLAPSE OF THE LANDING GEAR THE AIRCRAFT VEERED RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY AND GROUND LOOPED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR REVEALED A PRE-EXISTING CRACK IN A WELD AREA. THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 1994; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R985-AN12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 7,494 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from ELP, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N88WT on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: P&W R985-AN12 1 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in New Mexico 1,423 since 1982 · 184 in the last ten years
- New Mexico 3,114 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW95LA060.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.