Cessna T337C accident near Alamogordo, NM
On May 15, 2000, a Cessna T337C (airplane) was involved in an accident near Alamogordo, NM. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 15, 2000
- Place
- Alamogordo, NM
- Aircraft
- Cessna T337C · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 32.880°N, 105.949°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X20975
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 15, 2000, at 1233 mountain daylight time, a Cessna Skymaster T337C, N2522S, was destroyed following impact with terrain in an uncontrolled descent near Alamogordo, New Mexico. The airline transport pilot and his passenger were fatally injured. Courtney Aviation (dba Skystar, Inc.), of Columbia, California, was operating the airplane under contract to the United States Forest Service (USFS) under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that originated from Alamogordo, approximately 4 minutes before the accident. No flight plan had been filed with the FAA Flight Service Station, but the USFS had their own internal flight plan and flight following procedures. According to the pilot's employer, the pilot flew the airplane on May 12 from California to Alamogordo, New Mexico, for a long-term contract with the USFS. According to a USFS representative, the pilot flew forest fire reconnaissance flights on May 13 (5.4 hours) and May 14 (1.6 hours). On May 15, the pilot was briefed to fly a 3 hour fire watch mission over Lincoln National Forest, just east of Alamogordo. The pilot and his passenger were scheduled to depart between 1100 and 1130, but they were observed in the break area talking with each other at 1155. When USFS personnel reminded them of their departure time, they immediately went to their airplane. Radar data indicates a target departed on runway 21 at 1229 and made a left hand climbing turn to the northeast. Radar data indicates that the average rate of climb for the 3 and half-minute flight was 5
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, and the subsequent inadvertent stall/spin. Contributing factors were the loss of engine power on both engines for unknown reasons and the terrain induced turbulence.
More accidents in NM
- Gates Learjet 25D, Sep 5, 1993
- Piper PA-32-300, Dec 26, 1982
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, Jun 25, 1992
- Cessna 421C, Feb 11, 1985
- Beech 58, Mar 26, 1982
Browse: New Mexico · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
