What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On April 28, 1999, approximately 0755 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172I, N46204, and a Cessna 172N, N738UF, were substantially damaged when they collided during landing at Las Cruces International Airport, Las Cruces, new Mexico. The private pilot aboard N46204 and the airline transport rated flight instructor and his student on board N738UF were not injured. Both flights were being conducted under title 14 CFR part 91. The flight of N46204 had originated approximately 10 minutes before the accident, and was en route to portales, new Mexico. The flight of N738UF was for instruction and had originated approximately 15 minutes before the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plans had been filed by either pilot. According to the pilot of N46204, the aircraft experienced an electrical failure shortly after takeoff from runway 26. He turned 180 degrees, and entered the downwind to return for landing. Just prior to touching down on the runway, N46204 landed on top of N738UF. The pilot of N738UF was performing touch and go landings with his student, and had just touched down for his second landing when N46204 landed on top of the right wing section. The propeller on N46204 caused substantial damage to the right aileron and right horizontal stabilizer of N738UF. N46204 sustained damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and left aileron. (.4) N46204 experienced an electrical failure shortly after takeoff, and the pilot returned for landing. Just prior to touching down on the runway, N46204 landed on top of N738UF. The pilot of N738UF was performing touch and go landings with his student, and had just touched down when N46204 landed on top of the right wing section. Witnesses reported that the pilot of N46204 requested assistance starting the airplane on the morning of the accident due to a low battery, and the aircraft was hand-propped. According to FAR part 91.113 (b), 'when weather conditions permit... Vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft.' In addition, according to FAR 91.113 (g), 'when two or more aircraft are approaching an airport for the purpose of landing, the aircraft at the lower altitude has the right-of-way, but it shall not take advantage of this rule to cut in front of another which is on final approach to land or to ov ertake that aircraft.' (-23)N46204 experienced an electrical failure shortly after takeoff. The pilot turned 180 degrees and entered the downwind to return for landing. Just prior to touch down on runway N46204 landed on top of N738UF.
As the FAA filed it
ON APRIL 28, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 0755 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172I, N46204, AND A CESSNA 172N, N738UF, WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN THEY COLLIDED DURING LANDING AT LAS CRUCES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO. THE PRIVATE PILOT ABOARD N46204 AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND HIS STUDENT ON BOARD N738UF WERE NOT INJURED. BOTH FLIGHTS WERE BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT OF N46204 HAD ORIGINATED APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO PORTALES, NEW MEXICO. THE FLIGHT OF N738UF WAS FOR INSTRUCTION AND HAD ORIGINATED APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND NO FLIGHT PLANS HAD BEEN FILED BY EITHER PILOT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OF N46204, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 26. HE TURNED 180 DEGREES, AND ENTERED THE DOWNWIND TO RETURN FOR LANDING. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHING DOWN ON THE RUNWAY, N46204 LANDED ON TOP OF N738UF. THE PILOT OF N738UF WAS PERFORMING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WITH HIS STUDENT, AND HAD JUST TOUCHED DOWN FOR HIS SECOND LANDING WHEN N46204 LANDED ON TOP OF THE RIGHT WING SECTION. THE PROPELLER ON N46204 CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT AILERON AND RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF N738UF. N46204 SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND LEFT AILERON. (.4) N46204 EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AND THE PILOT RETURNED FOR LANDING. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHING DOWN ON THE RUNWAY, N46204 LANDED ON TOP OF N738UF. THE PILOT OF N738UF WAS PERFORMING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WITH HIS STUDENT, AND HAD JUST TOUCHED DOWN WHEN N46204 LANDED ON TOP OF THE RIGHT WING SECTION. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT OF N46204 REQUESTED ASSISTANCE STARTING THE AIRPLANE ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT DUE TO A LOW BATTERY, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS HAND-PROPPED. ACCORDING TO FAR PART 91.113 (B), 'WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS PERMIT... VIGILANCE SHALL BE MAINTAINED BY EACH PERSON OPERATING AN AIRCRAFT SO AS TO SEE AND AVOID OTHER AIRCRAFT.' IN ADDITION, ACCORDING TO FAR 91.113 (G), 'WHEN TWO OR MORE AIRCRAFT ARE APPROACHING AN AIRPORT FOR THE PURPOSE OF LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT AT THE LOWER ALTITUDE HAS THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, BUT IT SHALL NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS RULE TO CUT IN FRONT OF ANOTHER WHICH IS ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND OR TO OV ERTAKE THAT AIRCRAFT.' (-23)N46204 EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT TURNED 180 DEGREES AND ENTERED THE DOWNWIND TO RETURN FOR LANDING. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN ON RUNWAY N46204 LANDED ON TOP OF N738UF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.
Other reports on N46204 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.