On September 27, 1998, approximately 1100 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 177A, N29572, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during landing approach at Belen, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Las Cruces, New Mexico, at 0930. According to the pilot's accident report, she had obtained a weather briefing and had received VFR flight following services from Albuquerque ARTCC. Radar services were terminated when the airplane was 22 miles south of Belen. The pilot proceeded under visual meteorological rules to Belen and made a straight-in approach to runway 03 (6,600 ft. x 60 ft., asphalt). The pilot said she noticed there was another airplane in the pattern that was turning base leg. She was unsure of the pilot's intentions because he was not using his radio. The pilot of N29572 made the decision to land behind this traffic. She flared for landing and inadvertently stalled the airplane. The airplane collided with terrain short of the runway. The nose wheel landing gear was destroyed on impact. The firewall was also damaged.