Cessna R172K accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 20, 1995
On May 20, 1995 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N736HU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Coronado Airport). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR CROSSWIND CONDITIONS. FACTORS WERE THE CROSSWIND, THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT NOT ATTAINED, AND THE PILOT NOT ABORTING THE LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1995 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Coronado Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N736HU · no longer on the register · serial R1722547
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT CORONADO AIRPORT (4AC), THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT THE WIND WAS STEADY OUT OF THE WEST, AS INDICATED BY THE WIND SOCK. ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 17, THE FLAPS WERE SET TO 10 DEGREES DUE TO THE CROSSWIND. THE AIRPLANE CROSSED THE THRESHOLD AT 65 KNOTS AND 15 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY. A FLARE WAS INITIATED AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO 'FLOAT.' THE PILOT STATED, 'ALTHOUGH I WAS AT IDLE POWER, THE PLANE SEEM[ED] TO PICK UP SPEED AS THOUGH I HAD A TAIL WIND.' DUE TO TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE WITH THE LANDING. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 3,270 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE 4,010 FOOT RUNWAY. THE PILOT APPLIED THE BRAKES 'HARD', AND BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRES 'BLEW.' THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST 30 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY IN A DITCH. THE WINDS AT ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, LOCATED 10 NM SOUTH OF CORONADO AIRPORT, WERE REPORTED FROM 320 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 20. WIND REPORTED TO THE PILOT PRIOR TO LANDING ON UNICOM WERE FROM 250 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 23. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 8,200 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: 307 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 122 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,407 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 28, 1995; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAF Santa Fe NM at 9:10 pm
- Destination: 4AC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,010 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from ABQ, 10 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.