THE DTSB
Pending. Likely high density altitude attempted course reversal out of a box canyon and stall, spin.
U-FITAQP: 12) LOSS OF SPEED AWARENESS
Grumman American AA-1A | N9439L
- DTSB analysis published
Key facts
- DateNovember 26, 2025
- Local time11:40 AM
- LightDay
- WeatherVMC
- Phase of flightEnroute
- People on board2
- Fatalities2
- AirportKALM
Accident Location
- City, State
- Alamogordo, New Mexico
- Latitude
- 32.917778
- Longitude
- -105.7825
- Airport ID
- KALM
Aircraft Info
- N Number
- N9439L
- Make
- Grumman American
- Model
- AA-1A
- Category / Class
- Aircraft Single Engine Land
- Amateur Built
- No
Pilot Info
- Pilot in command
- Cheung, Patrick Waiking
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 40
- Certification
- Private Pilot
- IFR rating
- No
- Medical
- 3rd Class Medical
- Flight school
- No
- Instructional flight
- No
Analysis
- Weather
- VMC
- Time of day
- Day
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Pilot error
- Yes
- Pilot incapacitation
- No
- People on board
- 2
- PIC fatality
- 1
- Passenger fatalities
- 1
- Total fatalities
- 2
- NTSB travel
- Unknown
- AQP category
- 12) LOSS OF SPEED AWARENESS →
Probable Cause
NTSB
None yet (final report not yet published).
Recommendation
THE DTSB
Pending.
NTSB
None issued. NTSB recommendations are rare and usually tied to high-profile accidents.
See the NTSB Recommendation Tracker →