# Accident 19990428019991A: Cessna 172I, Las Cruces, NM, April 28, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 28, 1999, 07:45 local time - Place: Las Cruces, NM - Airport: Las Cruces International Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.2598° N, 106.8198° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2598&lon=-106.8198&mi=10 - Aircraft: N46204, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N46204) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172I (registry code 2072426, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172i) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172I - Reported engine: LYC O320E2D - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 601 total, 319 in this make and model, 27 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA067) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990428019991A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 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. ## Other aircraft in the event - N738UF, Cessna 172N: [Accident 19990428019992A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990428019992A) ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB DEN99LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA067), Apr 28, 1999: Cessna 172I (N46204), Las Cruces, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot of N46204's failure to maintain visual lookout and to identify the other aircraft visually during landing. ## Other reports on N46204 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20160625015119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160625015119A), Jun 25, 2016: Cessna 172I (N46204), Anthony, NM, Destroyed. The pilot was returning from santa teresa (5T6) and decided to fly low over the river. The pilot conducted a low recon of the route and then circled back and… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.