Cessna 172N accident near Gallup, New Mexico, September 29, 1998
On September 29, 1998 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N739JT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gallup, New Mexico (Gallup Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate landing flare. Factors were his misjudgement of altitude and his excessive airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 1998 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Gallup, New Mexico · Gallup Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N739JT · no longer on the register · serial 17270586
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, a Nepalese national, was on a cross-country flight to satisfy a portion of the requirements for a U.S. commercial pilot certificate. When he turned onto final approach at the end of the flight, he had to increase his crab angle to compensate for a crosswind he estimated to be greater than 10 knots. He also added power to maintain airspeed. As he got closer to the runway, he noticed his airspeed was 71 knots instead of 65 knots, so he reduced power to idle. The airplane touched down hard and bounced twice. On the third bounce, the nose wheel went 'flat' and broke. A witness said he saw the airplane when it was 200 feet above the runway threshold. It was in a nose down attitude and appeared to be going 'very fast.' He said the airplane touched down, 'bounced repeatedly,' then departed the right side of the runway.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,728 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 1998; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Akih Air
The flight
- Departed from: FLG Flagstaff AZ at 3:05 pm
- Destination: GUP
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 7,312 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from GUP
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.
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.