What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1998-09-27 involved a Cessna 177A, registration N29572, at Belen, NM.

Pilot Stalls Airplane on Approach to Belen Runway 03 (N29572)

On September 27, 1998, a Cessna 177A (registration N29572) was involved in an aviation accident near Belen, NM. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane during the landing flare. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

A pilot stalled during landing flare after yielding to traffic at Belen, resulting in a collision with terrain short of the runway, destroying the nose landing gear and damaging the firewall.

Incident Overview

The pilot of a general aviation airplane obtained a weather briefing and received VFR flight following services from Albuquerque ARTCC. Radar services were terminated when the airplane was 22 miles south of Belen. The pilot continued under visual meteorological rules to Belen and initiated a straight-in approach to runway 03, which is 6,600 feet long and 60 feet wide with an asphalt surface.

Sequence of Events

During the approach, the pilot observed another airplane in the traffic pattern turning base leg. Uncertain of that pilot's intentions due to a lack of radio communication, the pilot decided to land behind the other traffic. While flaring for landing, the pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane. The airplane subsequently collided with terrain short of the runway.

Damage

The impact destroyed the nose wheel landing gear and damaged the firewall. No other damage or injuries were reported in the source.

Probable Cause

According to the investigation, the probable cause of the accident was the pilot's inadvertent stall of the airplane during the landing flare.

1998-09-27: Cessna 177A (N29572) — Belen, NM