# Accident 20020502008129A: Piper PA28180, Santa Teresa, NM, May 2, 2002 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 2, 2002, 12:30 local time - Place: Santa Teresa, NM - Airport: Santa Teresa Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 31.8811° N, 106.7047° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8811&lon=-106.7047&mi=10 - Aircraft: N7504W, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7504W) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (registry code 42267, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-a3a) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28180 - Reported engine: LYC O360* - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 470 total, 460 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW02LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA135) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020502008129A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) EN ROUTE TO DEMING, NM PILOT DETERMINED NEED FOR UNSCHEDULED FUEL STOP DUE TO STRONG HEADWINDS. PILOT INFORMED ABQ ARTCC AND WAS GIVEN DONA ANA COUNTY AIRPORT AS NEAREST. EL PASO APPROACH GAVE ABQ ARTCC INCORRECT UNICOM FREQUENCY FOR DONA ANA COUNTY AIRPORT. THIS FREQUENCY WAS RELAYED TO THE PILOT. BECAUSE HE WAS ON AN INCORRECT FREQUENCY, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE LOCAL WINDS. PILOT MADE LOW PASS, DID GO-AROUND, THEN RETURNED FOR LANDING. PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT ON LANDING ROLL, DEPARTING RUNWAY. PILOT HAD NOT HAD FLIGHT REVEIW AS REQUIRED BY REGULATION IN SIX YEARS. PILOT HAD FLOWN FEW HOURS IN LAST 2 YEARS. PILOT ACCEPTED AIRCRAFT FROM MAINTENANCE IN ALABAMA (ANNUAL INSPECTION 11/01) AND MADE A BRIEF FLIGHT INCLUDING ONE TOUCH AND GO LANDING AND ONE FULL STOP LANDING. THEREFORE PILOT WAS NOT IN 90 DAY CURRENCY WHEN THE CROSS COUNTRY TRIP WAS INITIATED. (.19) ON MAY 2, 2002, APPROXIMATELY 1230 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-180 SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N7504W, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING LANDING ON RUNWAY 28 AT THE DONA ANA COUNTY AIRPORT NEAR SANTA TERESA, NEW MEXICO. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED BY PIR, INC., OF SALEM, OREGON, AND OPERATE D BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, AT AN UNKNOWN TIME, WITH A PLANNED DESTINATION OF DEMING, NEW MEXICO. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING, THE CROSS-WIND LANDING THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY WHEN IT WAS STRUCK BY GUSTY WINDS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. A MECHANIC, WHO EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE, FOUND THE FIREWALL DAMAGED. AT 1251, THE EL PASO WEATHER OBSERVATION FACILITY (LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 15 NAUTICAL MILES WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE) REPORTED THE WIND FROM 220 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 16 KNOTS. FURTHER, THE WIND WAS VARIABLE FROM 180 DEGREES TO 260 DEGREES. (.4) ON MAY 2, 2002, APPROXIMATELY 1230 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-180 SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N7504W, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING LANDING ON RUNWAY 28 AT THE DONA ANA COUNTY AIRPORT NEAR SANTA TERESA, NEW MEXICO. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED BY PIR, INC., OF SALEM, OREGON, AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED SAN ANGELO, TEXAS, AT AN UNKNOWN TIME, WITH A PLANNED DESTINATION OF DEMING, NEW MEXICO. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED "STRONG HEADWINDS AND GOT LOW ON FUEL." THE PILOT REQUESTED AND RECEIVED FLIGHT FOLLOWING TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT FOR REFUELING. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED GUSTY WINDS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. A MECHANIC, WHO EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE, REPORTED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE FIREWALL. AT 1251, THE EL PASO WEATHER OBSERVATION FACILITY (LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 22 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE) REPORTED THE WIND FROM 220 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 16 KNOTS. FURTHER, THE WIND WAS VARIABLE FROM 180 DEGREES TO 260 DEGREES. ## 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 FTW02LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA135), May 2, 2002: Piper PA-28-180 (N7504W), Santa Teresa, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind conditions resulting in a loss of control of the airplane during the landing. A contributing factor was the gusty crosswind. ## Other reports on N7504W (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19770130002099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19770130002099A), Jan 30, 1977: Piper PA28180 (N7504W), Pewaukee, WI, Substantial damage. Wind gust 25K. 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.