Background
Four aircraft departed from Carlsbad, New Mexico, on a flight to Fabens, Texas. The first of the four aircraft to enter the traffic pattern at Fabens was a Cessna 140, registration N76728. It entered the pattern behind a high-wing Cessna operated by Border Patrol that landed on runway 26.
Sequence of Events
Because the wind favored runway 8, the pilot of the Cessna 140 'passed over 26,' entered a downwind for runway 8, and announced his intentions on the UNICOM frequency. When the Border Patrol aircraft cleared runway 26, the Cessna 140 pilot continued his approach to land on runway 8. He assumed that the pilots of the other three aircraft in the flight would follow him.
The second aircraft in the flight was a Ryan ST-3KR, registration N48743. The Ryan pilot observed the high-wing Cessna (Border Patrol aircraft) clear runway 26 and elected to land on that runway.
Collision
Subsequently, the Cessna 140 and the Ryan ST-3KR converged while landing from opposite directions. The Cessna 140 pilot saw the Ryan ST-3KR just before impact, but not in time to avoid a collision.