# NTSB DEN72AD051: Cessna 172K, N78235, Portales, NM, May 11, 1972

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: May 11, 1972
- Place: Portales, NM · PORTALES, NM
- Location: 34.1773° N, 103.3551° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Portales, NM, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1773&lon=-103.3551&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report November 29, 1972
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 165746
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN72AD051
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN72AD051

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0745  72/5/11    PORTALES,N MEX      CESSNA 172K         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 27, 155
        TIME - 0420                    N78235              PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 72 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - PORTALES
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          PORTALES,N MEX              FARMINGTON,N MEX
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  IN FLIGHT: NORMAL CRUISE
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - RAIN
           WEATHER - FOG
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OBSCURATION                                               300
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1 MILE OR LESS                                           DRIZZLE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          FOG                                                       56
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          150                                                       16
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      VFR
        REMARKS- FLEW INTO GRND. PLT WAS INFORMED BY FSS WEA BLO VFR MINIMUMS. BELIEVED RET TO PORTALES.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: N78235 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172K
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Portales

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.

---
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.