What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 04/24/2026 at 1450 a Piper Sport, light sport aircraft was involved in a descent and landing accident, during landing. The purpose of flight was to fly to gallup NM and no flight plan was filed. Aircraft damage was substantial and no injuries were reported. Pilot certification is a commercial pilot with flight instructor rating. The origin of this flight was double eagle ii airport (kaeg) 04/24/2026 at 1430.
The aircraft departed kaeg with full fuel at 14:30 en route to gallup, NM municipal. The pilot became extremely airsick just as albuquerque center contacted the pilot about minimum sector altitude. Pilot was unable to respond for several minutes due to vomiting. The pilot was vectored to the closest airport. They announced airport at 11:00 to 12:00 o'clock and the pilot saw what looked like a residential airpark, the pilot asked if it was and they confirmed it was an airpark and added that it was 1.5 miles ahead. The pilot focused on the center line and upon landing, clipped the gate extension on the property, and eventually was pulled to the right, up a curb, where the prop struck the fence. What the pilot thought was a residential airpark turned out to be a residential road.
As the FAA filed it
ON 04/24/2026 AT 1450 A PIPER SPORT, LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT WAS INVOLVED IN A DESCENT AND LANDING ACCIDENT, DURING LANDING. THE PURPOSE OF FLIGHT WAS TO FLY TO GALLUP NM AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. AIRCRAFT DAMAGE WAS SUBSTANTIAL AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. PILOT CERTIFICATION IS A COMMERCIAL PILOT WITH FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RATING. THE ORIGIN OF THIS FLIGHT WAS DOUBLE EAGLE II AIRPORT (KAEG) 04/24/2026 AT 1430.
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KAEG WITH FULL FUEL AT 14:30 EN ROUTE TO GALLUP, NM MUNICIPAL. THE PILOT BECAME EXTREMELY AIRSICK JUST AS ALBUQUERQUE CENTER CONTACTED THE PILOT ABOUT MINIMUM SECTOR ALTITUDE. PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESPOND FOR SEVERAL MINUTES DUE TO VOMITING. THE PILOT WAS VECTORED TO THE CLOSEST AIRPORT. THEY ANNOUNCED AIRPORT AT 11:00 TO 12:00 O'CLOCK AND THE PILOT SAW WHAT LOOKED LIKE A RESIDENTIAL AIRPARK, THE PILOT ASKED IF IT WAS AND THEY CONFIRMED IT WAS AN AIRPARK AND ADDED THAT IT WAS 1.5 MILES AHEAD. THE PILOT FOCUSED ON THE CENTER LINE AND UPON LANDING, CLIPPED THE GATE EXTENSION ON THE PROPERTY, AND EVENTUALLY WAS PULLED TO THE RIGHT, UP A CURB, WHERE THE PROP STRUCK THE FENCE. WHAT THE PILOT THOUGHT WAS A RESIDENTIAL AIRPARK TURNED OUT TO BE A RESIDENTIAL ROAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.