Casualties unknown

Cargo Flight Aborts Takeoff on Snowy Runway in New Mexico (N2614U)

Albuquerque, NM, US

On January 18, 1988, a Cessna 402 (registration N2614U) operated by South Aero Services was involved in an aviation accident near Albuquerque, NM. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A scheduled cargo flight from Albuquerque to Las Cruces aborted takeoff after failing to lift off, overran the runway, and came to rest in a field. The runway was covered with snow, ice, and water.

Summary

A scheduled cargo flight from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Las Cruces experienced a rejected takeoff after the aircraft failed to become airborne. The aircraft overran the runway and came to rest in a brush-covered field, sustaining landing gear damage. The incident occurred during light snow conditions on a runway contaminated with snow, ice, and water from the previous night's snowstorm.

Event Details

The flight was crewed by an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) rated pilot and a Commercial rated passenger. Before taxi, the pilot and ground crew removed most of the snow from the aircraft. The pilot chose to depart under visual flight rules (VFR) rather than wait for the previously filed instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft accelerated to Vr (rotation speed) but would not lift off. Both pilots reported feeling a shudder similar to a stall. The pilot-in-command (PIC) decided to abort the takeoff after using more than 75% of the runway length.

Runway Excursion

Braking action was insufficient to stop the aircraft before it departed the runway. The aircraft crossed the overrun and came to rest approximately 100 yards into a brush-covered field. Upon crossing the overrun, the landing gear sheared off due to impact with terrain lower than the runway overrun.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001213X24890. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.