Piper PA-23-160 accident near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, September 7, 2025
On September 7, 2025 at about 1:25 am local time, a 1959 Piper PA-23-160, registered N4085P, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Santa Teresa, New Mexico (Dona Ana County Intl Jetport airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2025 · about 1:25 am local time
- Place
- Santa Teresa, New Mexico · Dona Ana County Intl Jetport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160, built 1959 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N4085P · registry record · serial 23-1563
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On September 6, 2025, about 1925 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-23-160, N4085P, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that while the twin-engine airplane was being refueled, he completed his performance planning. Subsequently he entered the airplane, started both engines, taxied to the runup area and performed engine runup and magneto drop checks, with no abnormalities noted. After transmitting his intentions over the common traffic advisory frequency, he taxied onto runway 10 from taxiway A4, aligned the airplane on the runway centerline and applied full throttle on both engines. During the takeoff roll, he began to rotate about 87 knots and 1,600 ft into the takeoff roll. However, when the airplane lifted off of the runway, the airplane yawed to the left and was not climbing. He reported that he retracted the landing gear to reduce drag, lowered the nose to increase airspeed, and applied right rudder. He stated that he heard a decreasing engine noise, and assumed it was the left engine due to the left yaw and side slip, while he applied right rudder. While trying to keep the nose aligned with the runway centerline at an indicated airspeed between 90 knots to 100 knots, and less than 50 ft above ground level, the airplane had drifted left over the runway safety area and impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further 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
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DNA Santa Teresa NM at 10:00 pm
- Destination: TUS Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10/2, 9,550 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 am from KDNA
Weather report (METAR): METAR KDNA 061135Z AUTO 22004KT 10SM FEW037 FEW060 20/17 A3013 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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 WPR25LA274.