White Sands Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Almogordo, New Mexico 88310
Wednesday, September 3, 2008 21:20 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Following a 78-nautical-mile cross-country flight, the pilot forgot to extend the airplane's landing gear before landing. As the airplane veered off the runway the left wingtip impacted the ground resulting in substantial damage. The airplane came to rest in an upright position and the pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. The pilot was fatally injured four days later in a separate airplane accident; therefore, an NTSB 6120.1 form was not submitted.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to extend the airplane's landing gear before landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/3/2008
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2120
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Almogordo
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88310
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 355023N
Event Location Longitude 1055926W
Event Location Airport White Sands Regional
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ALM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4200
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2125 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID ALM
Elevation of weather observation facility 4200
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KALM 040325Z AUTO 07005KT 10SM CLR 20/14 A30
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25574
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 20 2009 11:42AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9783B
NTSB Number DFW08CA227
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172RG
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172RG1033
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SPENCER AVIATION LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1631 MARTIN LAKE DR
Aircraft Owner City RICHMOND
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77469-8278
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name SPENCER AVIATION LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1631 MARTIN LAKE DR
Operator City RICHMOND
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 77469-8278
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ROW
Departure City Roswell
Departure State NM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ALM
Destination City Alamogordo
Destination State NM
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 20 2009 11:43AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 7006
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --