What happened
On March 11, 2025, a Cessna P2imN, registration N711HE, was involved in an accident near Roswell, New Mexico, during a personal flight under Part 91 regulations. The flight departed from Roswell Air Center Airport (ROW) for a cross-country trip.
While climbing through approximately 11,000 feet MSL, the pilot observed a cylinder head temperature warning on the primary flight display (PFD) and noted that fuel flow was lower than expected. Shortly thereafter, a "low bus voltage" message appeared on the multifunction flight display (MFD). The pilot notified the Roswell Air Center Tower of the intent to return to the airport and began a descent.
During the descent, the pilot disconnected the autopilot and discovered the electric trim was non-functional; attempting to use the trim wheel resulted in resistance. The PFD and MFD subsequently lost power. The pilot reported difficulty controlling the elevator, noting a descent rate of approximately 2,000 feet per minute. Additionally, the landing gear warning horn and gear position indicator lights failed to operate after the pilot activated the landing gear selector. The pilot did not visually confirm the gear position before touching down on runway 17. Upon landing, the gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to slide off the right side of the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot and passenger were not injured.
The investigation
Records indicate that a new alternator had been installed on the aircraft approximately 10 hours of flight time prior to the accident. The aircraft was retained for examination.