Siai-Marchetti F.260 accident near Santa Rosa, New Mexico, September 30, 1997
On September 30, 1997 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Siai-Marchetti F.260, registered N260MT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Rosa, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper planning/decision by the pilot, which led to fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power, and a forced landing. A related factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 1997 · about 9:30 pm local time · cases in 1997
- Place
- Santa Rosa, New Mexico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Siai-Marchetti F.260 · all F.260s on the register
- Registration
- N260MT · registry record · serial 3-80
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Approximately 20 minutes before reaching a planned fuel stop at Santa Rosa, NM, the engine lost power. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a dirt road. During the descent, he 'attempted a restart w/opposite wing tank selected;' however, the engine did not start. The pilot reported that his 'last fuel check indicated 1/8 - 1/4 fuel in both wing tanks, wing tip tanks empty.' During the landing roll, the nose landing gear impacted a ditch separating its wheel. The aircraft continued across the dirt road, crossed another ditch, and nosed over. Examination of the aircraft's fuel system revealed that the fuel selector was in the left tip tank position. The main fuel tanks and the wing tip tanks were 'void of fuel,' and 'there were not any fuel stains on the aircraft or the ground.' Only residual fuel was found in the fuel line to the gascolator and in the gascolator, and the carburetor fuel bowl had approximately 0.5 ounce of fuel.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 1997; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSP Palm Springs CA at 5:45 pm
- Destination: Q58 Santo Rosa NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from TCC, 53 miles away
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N260MT on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Siai-Marchetti F.260 7 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Siai-Marchetti 102 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4A5 9 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Palm Springs International · departed from
- 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/FTW97LA371.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.