Piper PA-23 N1210P

Summary

On 22 January 2026 at about 21:30 local time, a Piper PA-23 registered N1210P was involved in an accident near Newkirk, New Mexico, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 January 2026 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Newkirk, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

35.0746, -104.2892

Aircraft

Piper PA-23

Registration

N1210P

Category

Airplane

Year built

1955

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tucumcari → Santa Rosa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR26LA089

Nobody was injured.

The pilots inadequate preflight planning and improper in-flight decision-making, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a subsequent landing on rough terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot receiving instruction and flight instructor were conducting a 1,020 nautical mile (nm) cross-country flight, with multiple planned fuel stops. Upon arrival at one of their planned fuel stops, they discovered that no fuel was available at the airport. The pilots elected to proceed to another airport located about 53 nm away. While enroute at an altitude of about 6,500 ft, the left and right engines began sputtering. The flight instructor stated that they were running out of fuel, and shortly thereafter, both engines experienced a complete loss of engine power. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilots conducted an off-airport landing in an open field. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing impacted the surface, resulting in substantial damage to the right-wing spar. A post-accident inspection of the airplane revealed that the left-wing fuel tank was empty, while the right wing contained a small, undetermined amount of fuel. A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) which advised fuel was not available at the airport was issued about 1 month prior to the accident and was still in effect at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.