# NTSB investigations, NM: Collision during takeoff/land

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR27LA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR27LA004.md): Head Balloons AX8-88B · Albuquerque, NM · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Investigation open · Oct 3, 2026 · N4502A · Substantial damage
- [NTSB WPR26LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA167.md): Czech Sport Piper Sport · Crownpoint, NM · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Apr 24, 2026 · N610PS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to correctly identify the runway, which resulted in a landing on a residential driveway and collision with a gate.
- [NTSB WPR25LA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA274.md): Piper PA-23-160 · Santa Teresa, NM · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report · Sep 7, 2025 · N4085P · Substantial damage
  > On September 6, 2025, about 1925 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-23-160, N4085P, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code…
- [NTSB WPR25LA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA019.md): Jared Baker Rans DSG INC S21 OUT · Springer, NM · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 13, 2024 · N46ST · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a collision with an obstacle.
- [NTSB WPR25LA081](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA081.md): Cameron Balloons US ZL-70 · Rio Rancho, NM · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 9, 2024 · N31010 · Minor damage
  > The pilot’s inability to maintain clearance from a tree during the landing approach due to a gusting wind shift.
- [NTSB CEN23LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA006.md): Aerostar International S53A · Albuquerque, NM · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 7, 2022 · N9140F · Minor damage
  > The pilot’s inability to find a suitable landing area in a critical fuel situation and his decision to land on a highway, which resulted in the balloon impacting a bridge railing and terrain.
- [NTSB WPR22LA116](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA116.md): Liberty Aerospace Liberty XL-2 · Las Cruces, NM · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Mar 2, 2022 · N552XL · Substantial damage
  > The airplane’s inability to climb during takeoff due to a degradation of engine performance due to high density altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to continue the takeoff.
- [NTSB WPR21FA242](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21FA242.md): Cameron Balloons US O-120 · Albuquerque, NM · Accident · 5 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jun 26, 2021 · N158NM · Destroyed
  > The failure of the pilot to maintain adequate clearance from power lines while maneuvering for landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s use of impairing, illicit drugs.
- [NTSB WPR21LA174](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA174.md): Piper PA-28-180 · Silver City, NM · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Apr 12, 2021 · N222BM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s loss of situational awareness and failure to touchdown on the runway which resulted in a collision with the airport’s perimeter fence.
- [NTSB WPR21LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA027.md): American Eurocopter AS350B3 · Silver City, NM · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 27, 2020 · N530H · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude above terrain while operating in reduced visibility due to snow showers.
- [NTSB WPR20CA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA050.md): Head AX8 88B · Las Cruces, NM · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 14, 2019 · N2224H · Substantial damage
  > A burner flameout, which resulted in the pilot's inability to arrest the balloon’s descent and its subsequent impact with power lines as he was trying to relight the burner.
- [NTSB WPR20FA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20FA008.md): Piper PA 24 · Angel Fire, NM · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Oct 20, 2019 · N7742P · Substantial damage
  > The airplane’s degraded performance due to high-density altitude and gusting wind conditions, which resulted in its inability to maintain altitude during the initial takeoff climb. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of experience with high…
- [NTSB GAA20CA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA037.md): Ultramagic N 250 · Albuquerque, NM · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 19, 2019 · N275WB · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure maintain clearance from power lines, which resulted in an explosion and preimpact fire.
- [NTSB WPR19LA223](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19LA223.md): Beech 35 · Ruidoso, NM · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 17, 2019 · N5410D · Substantial damage
  > The airplane’s inability to maintain altitude during the initial climb due to a degradation in the airplane’s performance as a result of high-density altitude conditions at the time of takeoff. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s inadequate…
- [NTSB CEN18LA218](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA218.md): Aerovodochody L 29 Delfin · Moriarty, NM · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 8, 2018 · N4323N · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper glidepath during a visual approach and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in ground impact before the runway.
- [NTSB GAA18CA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA016.md): Ultramagic T210 · Albuquerque, NM · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 6, 2017 · N123UT · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from a balloon on the ground during landing.
- [NTSB CEN17CA345](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17CA345.md): Shiner RV-4 · Ramah, NM · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 9, 2017 · N70RV · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from berms during landing in sun glare conditions.
- [NTSB CEN17CA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17CA013.md): Aerostar RX-8 · Albuquerque, NM · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 2, 2016 · N5161Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improperly planned landing, which resulted in a strike with power lines.
- [NTSB CEN13LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA032.md): Aerostar International RX8 · Albuquerque, NM · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 10, 2012 · N90550 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to attain the desired touchdown point because of wind conditions and surrounding obstructions, which resulted in the balloon impacting a fence during the approach to landing.
- [NTSB CEN11CA377](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA377.md): Kamtz Russell H RV-6A · Dexter, NM · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 5, 2011 · N820RC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a fence while landing at night.
- [NTSB CEN10LA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA227.md): Piper PA-28-140 · Glenwood, NM · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 7, 2010 · N4372J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to attempt a takeoff from an unimproved airstrip with a high density altitude.
- [NTSB CEN10CA384](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA384.md): American AA-1 · Gallup, NM · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 19, 2010 · N5660L · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning and failure to attain an adequate airspeed that led to a stall/mush. Contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for an off-airport landing and the high density altitude.
- [NTSB CEN09CA302](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA302.md): Ercoupe 415-C · Gallup, NM · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 16, 2009 · N94300 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate preflight planning. Contributing to the accident was the high density altitude.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."eventStateOrRegion" = 'NM' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT e.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE e."isDefiningEvent" AND e."tier2Number" = '490')
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/cases?state=NM

---
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.