Beech E90 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, August 31, 1997
On August 31, 1997 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Beech E90, registered N16NM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Albuquerque International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
Fatigue failure of the right main landing gear retraction/extension torque tube.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 1997 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Albuquerque International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E90 · all E90s on the register
- Registration
- N16NM · registry record · serial LW62
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During initial climb following takeoff from Santa Rosa on a medical evacuation flight, with a patient and 2 flight nurses aboard, the right main landing gear failed to fully retract. Prior to landing at Albuquerque the right main landing gear did not lock in the down position. During landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed. Examination of the landing gear provided evidence that the retraction/extension torque tube failed in fatigue.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,050 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 10,640 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,965 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 5, 1997; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q58 Santa Rosa NM at 10:34 pm
- Destination: ABQ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N16NM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.