Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87122
Wednesday, January 20, 1999 15:27 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported a dual vacuum pump failure while flying IFR at FL220. Despite having a standby electric artificial horizon, aircraft control was lost during the pilot's attempt to descend to 13,000 feet (reported cloud base). The airframe was overstressed and the right wing failed. Laboratory examination of the vacuum-driven gyroscopes disclosed no evidence of high rotation at impact. Both vacuum pumps bore signatures indicative of failure prior to impact. Not enough of the check valve manifold remained to determine its operational status.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Total failure of the vacuum system, and failure of the pilot to maintain aircraft control, resulting in wing spar failure. Factors were the pilot's spatial disorientation, and his exceeding the design stress limits of the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/20/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1527
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ALBUQUERQUE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87122
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1536 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 215
Weather Observation Facility ID ABQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 5352
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 23
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 6528
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 586
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 20 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1649
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:17AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N79NL
NTSB Number DEN99FA034
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model P210N
Aircraft Series Identifier P210N
Aircraft Serial Number P21000260
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 8 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 152
Airframe Hours 2706
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ADVANCED INDUSTRIES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4550 SOUTHEAST BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City WICHITA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67210
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SDL
Departure City SCOTTSDALE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1243
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ICT
Destination City WICHITA
Destination State KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --