This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N432DM
- History of Flight:
On September 16, 2025, at about 1131 local time, a privately-registered Bellanca 17-30A Super Viking 300A, N432DM, sustained substantial damage when it impacted powerlines and terrain near Moriarty Municipal Airport (0E0), Moriarty, New Mexico. One occupant sustained fatal injuries, the second occupant serious injuries. The flight originated from Sandia Airpark Estates East Airport (1N1), Edgewood, NM, and was destined to an unknown location.
According to preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) data (figure 1), the airplane departed 1N1 at 1059 and proceeded to the north. About 9 minutes into the flight, the airplane turned right (to the south) and continued to climb. At 1116, the airplane conducted two 360 loops. At 1123, the airplane overflew 0E0 and flew west in preparations to land on runway 26. At 1128:30, the airplane landed on runway 26. At 1129:05, the airplane conducted a go-around, climbed to an altitude of 6,450 ft and started to turn left. At about 1130:26, the airplane was at 128 knots groundspeed and climbing 700 feet per minute (fpm) when it started to lose altitude and groundspeed while in the turn. At 1131:27, the airplane had deaccelerated to about 95 knots groundspeed and descending 700 fpm. The last ADS-B return was recorded at 1131:49, the airplane was at 5825 ft, 74 knots groundspeed, and descending -200 fpm (figure 2 and 3).
Figure 1: ADS-B Exchange track ran through Google Earth Pro
Figure 2: Landing, go-around, and accident
Figure 3: End of track with "extend to ground" option disabled, the airplane collided with one of the powertowers in the figure before impacting terrain.
The airplane struck powerlines and impacted terrain about 2 miles southeast of the airport. Local newspapers reported that "The cause of the crash is believed to be engine failure."
- Pilot Information:
unknown at this point.
The current registered owner (It is unknown if this was the accident pilot) held a private pilot certificate (issued/updated on 8/25/2010) with a rating for airplane single engine land. He had an FAA BasicMed Course dated 1/28/2025.
- Airplane Information:
The four-seat, retractable landing gear, low-wing monoplane with an all-wood wing construction and a fabric covered steel-tube
fuselage, serial number 30413, was manufactured in 1971. It was powered by a 300-horsepower Continental IO-520 engine equipped with a constant-speed propeller.
- Wreckage and Impact Information:
The airplane came to rest upright and there was no post crash fire. The main wreckage consisted of the entire airplane. Both wings and tail remained attached to the airframe. The first identified point of impact was a group of downed powerlines which led to the main wreckage. Scorching damage was noted on the right side of the fuselage.
- Airport Information:
The Moriarty Airport, 0E0, is a public, uncontrolled airport located 2 miles southeast of Moriarty, New Mexico, at a surveyed elevation of 6204.2 feet. The airport features two asphalt runways, runway 8/26, which is 7,700 feet long by 75 feet wide. and runway 17/35, which is 6,201 feet long by 75 feet wide.
- Weather Information:
(1) Brief:
The reported weather at 0E0, at 1115 (about 16 minutes before the accident) included: winds 200 at 6 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, no clouds under 12,000 ft (CLR), a temperature of 24° C, a dew point of 11° C, and a barometric altimeter setting of 30.35 inches of mercury. The calculated density altitude was 8303 ft.
(2) METARs:
METAR K0E0 161655Z AUTO 17007KT 10SM CLR 23/11 A3035 RMK AO2 T02290111
METAR K0E0 161715Z AUTO 20006KT 10SM CLR 24/11 A3035 RMK AO2 T02360108
METAR K0E0 161815Z AUTO 18004KT 10SM VCTS CLR 26/10 A3032 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE THRU SW T02580097
(3) Area Forecast Discussion:
731
FXUS65 KABQ 161138 AAA
AFDABQ
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Albuquerque NM
538 AM MDT Tue Sep 16 2025
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 533 AM MDT Tue Sep 16 2025
- Showers and thunderstorms with gusty outflow winds and brief
heavy downpours will return to southern, central, and eastern
parts of New Mexico Tuesday and Wednesday, then continue east of
the central mountain chain Wednesday night.
- Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible east of
the central mountain chain Tuesday afternoon and evening. Then,
scattered severe thunderstorms are increasingly likely across
far northeast New Mexico Wednesday afternoon and evening with a
few producing locally heavy rainfall.
- There will be a minor risk of burn scar flash flooding on
Tuesday and a minor to moderate risk on Wednesday. The threat
for burn scar flash flooding may persist Thursday and Friday.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
(Tonight through Wednesday)
Issued at 1135 PM MDT Mon Sep 15 2025
A relatively weak upper low near the tri-state area of ID/MT/WY
will slowly drop southeastward into the central Great Plains today
and Wednesday. This feature will be led by a 60-70 kt speed max
aloft at 300 mb that will drop toward the Four Corners and NM-CO
border. Meanwhile a subdued upper level ridge over the Mexican
mainland is keeping the flow much lighter to our south, and
tropical storm Mario is tracking northward near 22N, 116W
(west southwest of the Baja Peninsula). At the surface, winds have
been taking on more of a southerly component which is advecting
suptropical moisture into NM, ad a few eastern plains sites are
already observing 60 degree F dewpoints. While these will mix down
some into the afternoon, a much broader swath of 40`s to 50`s
dewpoints will be observed later this afternoon over the
southeastern half of the forecast area, and PWATs will climb to
two-thirds of an inch upwards to near 1.0 inch in this sector.
This will bring a notable increase in storms from the past couple
of days, but coverage should still be isolated to scattered
(20-50% spatial coverage), generally stretching from the
southwest and south central mountains northward to the Jemez and
Sangre de Cristos before drifting east southeastward to nearby
lower elevations. With the speed max aloft over northern NM,
enough shear would be present to enhance updraft longevity, and a
lone strong to severe cell or two would be possible, mainly in
Colfax, Harding, and Union counties. Drier, high-based storms over
the Zuni mountains, Grants, Cuba and western Jemez would have
larger DCAPE profiles with a higher downburst threat and much
less rainfall efficiency. All storms would gradually become
outflow dominant and gust out late this evening as they roll into
the highlands and high plains to the east of the central mountain
chain.
By Wednesday, the initial upper low would move just east of the NE
panhandle with a secondary shortwave trailing and dropping into
south central WY. The speed max aloft would strengthen slightly
over northern NM, and drier air would filter into northwestern NM,
sharpening the moisture and PWAT gradient. The southwestern and
south central mountains would initiate convection Wednesday
afternoon with a few cells potentially going up over the Sangre de
Cristos, but the northeastern zones will likely not get too active
until the evening when a surface front arrives with increased moisture
and surface convergence. These storms in northeastern NM would
have the potential to turn severe with large directional shear
profiles.
.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 533 AM MDT Tue Sep 16 2025
Very weak showers and thunderstorms are ongoing across western New
Mexico early this morning, but otherwise dry weather with VFR
conditions is prevailing. This shower and storm activity will fade
through the morning with new batches of isolated to scattered
showers and thunderstorms redeveloping this afternoon and evening,
mainly across the southwestern to north central and northeastern
areas. Storms will be capable of producing gusty downburst winds
(especially near KGNT, KABQ, KAEG, KLAM, and KSAF) and brief
downpours. Most of the storm activity will dwindle through the
this evening.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Issued at 1135 PM MDT Mon Sep 15 2025
Isolated to scattered showers return to portions of northern and
central NM today and Wednesday. The best prospects of wetting
rainfall will be found in the southwestern mountains and the
south central highlands, as well as the northeastern plains once
a front arrives Wednesday evening. Temperatures will be seasonable
today and Wednesday, and true to form, the driest areas will be
in northwestern NM where dewpoints will be lowest and afternoon RH
will plummet to 15 percent or slightly lower each day. Any wind
concerns will stem from thunderstorm outflows with the drier
storms over the Zuni mountains, Mount Taylor, and western Jemez
being more prone to gusty downbursts and even dry lightning
strikes. Storms will stay active Thursday over the southwestern
mountains and also along and east of the central mountain chain
with the driest area remaining in northwestern zones. There is
some uncertainty with Friday`s storm coverage forecast, but for
now it appears the focus will temporarily shift back over the
Continental Divide with increased moisture there. However, by the
weekend a drier and less stormy trend will get underway.
- Additional Information:
no
