Cessna P210N accident near Roswell, New Mexico, March 11, 2025
On March 11, 2025 at about 7:40 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna P210N, registered N711HE, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Roswell, New Mexico (Roswell Air Center Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 2025 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Roswell, New Mexico · Roswell Air Center Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N, built 1979 · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N711HE · registry record · serial P21000242
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 11, 2025, at 1340 mountain daylight time, a Cessna P210N, N711HE, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Roswell, New Mexico. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, he departed Roswell Air Center Airport (ROW), Roswell, New Mexico, for a cross-country flight. While climbing through about 11,000 ft mean sea level, a warning for cylinder head temperature appeared on the primary flight display (PFD) and the pilot recognized that the fuel flow was lower that expected. A short time later a “low bus voltage” message appeared on the multifunction flight display (MFD). The pilot notified the Air Traffic Control Tower at ROW that he would be returning to the airport and started descent towards the airport. The pilot disconnected the autopilot and noted the electric trim did not appear to be working. He tried turning the trim wheel and felt resistance. The PFDs and MFD lost power during the descent and the pilot said he was “fighting the elevator control” and the airplane was descending about 2,000 ft per minute. He also stated he activated the landing gear selector, but the warning horn and gear position indicator lights were not operating. He did not visually confirm the position of the landing gear prior to landing and stated he thought the gear may have been “hanging” when he landed on runway 17. The landing gear subsequently collapsed, and the airplane slid off the right side of the runway which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage. The airplane had a new alternator installed about 10 hours of flight time prior to the accident. The airplane was retained for examination.
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
- Electrical system malf/failure during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 1:29 pm from KROW, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KROW 111929Z 15006KT 10SM CLR 23/M03 A2987 RMK AO2 T02281028
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
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 WPR25LA111.