Cessna 177A accident near Belen, New Mexico, September 27, 1998
On September 27, 1998 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 177A, registered N29572, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belen, New Mexico (Belen Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot inadvertently stalling the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 1998 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Belen, New Mexico · Belen Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177A · all 177As on the register
- Registration
- N29572 · no longer on the register · serial 17700969
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had obtained a weather briefing and had received VFR flight following services from Albuquerque ARTCC. Radar services were terminated when the airplane was 22 miles south of Belen. The pilot proceeded under visual meteorological rules to Belen and made a straight-in approach to runway 03 (6,600 ft. x 60 ft., asphalt). The pilot said she noticed there was another airplane in the pattern that was turning base leg. She was unsure of the pilot's intentions because he was not using his radio. The pilot made the decision to land behind this traffic. She flared for landing and inadvertently stalled the airplane. The airplane collided with terrain short of the runway. The nose wheel landing gear was destroyed on impact. The firewall was also damaged.
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
- Flight time: 95 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 15, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LRU Las Cruces NM at 3:30 pm
- Destination: E80 Belen NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 6,600 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from ABQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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 N29572 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.