Amateur-built 4-Place accident near Buckhorn, New Mexico, April 20, 2024
On April 20, 2024 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 2008 amateur-built 4-Place, registered N1685, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Buckhorn, New Mexico (Sacaton Airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inflight loss of control during landing following an encounter with a wind gust which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2024 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Buckhorn, New Mexico · Sacaton Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 4-Place NO SERIES, built 2008
- Registration
- N1685 · registry record · serial 030-53/54-704
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he conducted a low pass over the runway to check runway and wind conditions and noted that the wind was light and variable. On the second approach to landing, while about 10 ft above the runway, a “sudden, strong wind gust hit” and airplanes nose came up abruptly. The pilot attempted to go around; however, the airplane landed hard, and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions that precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,749 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,749 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 30, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 537 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 EXP (piston); 537 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1N1 Edgewood NM at 5:00 pm
- Destination: NM16 Buchorn NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 4,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 65°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 24, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Email Clarification of Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N1685 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR24LA128.