Lockheed SP-2H accident near Reserve, New Mexico, June 28, 1998
On June 28, 1998 at about 2:24 am local time, a Lockheed SP-2H, registered N14835, was destroyed in an accident near Reserve, New Mexico. It was a public-use flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the copilot to maintain both lateral and vertical clearance from the trees, and failure of the captain to provide adequate supervision of the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1998 · about 2:24 am local time
- Place
- Reserve, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed SP-2H
- Registration
- N14835 · no longer on the register · serial 148358
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane had made a dry pass on the fire zone, then circled around to make a second pass and release its load of 2,450 gallons of retardant. According to witnesses, the airplane struck trees while in a nose low, right wing low attitude. Upon ground impact, the airplane exploded and burned. Investigation revealed no evidence of preimpact airframe, engine, propeller, or flight control failure/malfunction. The first officer, an initial attack trainee pilot, was in the left seat and the captain was in the right seat. Toxicology tests of the first officer indicated 0.031 ug/ml brompheniramine, 0.011 ug/ml chlorpheniramine in kidney fluid, and 0.142 brompheniramine, 0.072 chlorpheniramine in liver fluid. Both medications are over-the-counter antihistamines with sedative effects.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,337 hours in all; 291 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 7,740 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,815 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 26, 1998; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 80,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Curtis Wright R-3350-32WA (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SVC Silver City NM
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.