On October 11, 1985, a Cessna 175A (registration N6959E) was involved in an aviation accident near Jal, NM. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft departed for night currency flights but vanished into darkness under hazy conditions with low overcast and patchy ground fog. Wreckage was located two miles north the next morning.
What happened
A witness observed an aircraft departing from the airport before it disappeared into the darkness. The pilot had planned to perform three takeoffs and landings to maintain night flying currency. The aircraft did not return to the airfield.
The wreckage was discovered two miles north of the airport the following morning. Weather conditions at the time were described as hazy with a low overcast layer, patchy ground fog, and reduced visibility.
Findings
The investigation noted the challenging weather environment during the flight phase. The combination of darkness, haze, and reduced visibility likely contributed to the outcome. No further mechanical findings or safety messages were provided in the source material.