December 27, 2004, Roswell, N.M. / Cessna 172S

At 1822 Mountain time, the airplane was destroyed when it departed controlled flight and impacted a highway. Night visual conditions prevailed for the local IFR flight. The Private pilot and sole occupant was fatally injured. Several witnesses in vehicles driving westbound on the highway stated they saw the airplane traveling northwest at approximately 2500 feet agl. One witness stated the airplane “suddenly started downward at a steep angle and crashed.” Another witness said it took only a few seconds from the time the airplane started downward until it impacted on the highway. A third witness said he saw “a green and red light coming down at a high angle and very fast,” and he “heard [a] l...