Nogales International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nogales, Arizona 85621
Sunday, April 17, 1994 14:08 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED AN AIRPORT LOCATED AT 3,932 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL WITH FOUR OCCUPANTS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ESTIMATED AT 6,500 FEET. THE AIRPLANE'S GROSS WEIGHT WAS CALCULATED TO BE WITHIN LIMITS. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING LOW AND SLOW ABOUT 3/4 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT AND THE WINGS APPEARED TO BE WOBBLING. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A LEFT TURN ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND AND SUDDENLY DESCENDED IN A STEEP NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE TO THE GROUND. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1408
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City NOGALES
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85621
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NOGALES INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OLS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 15
Airport Elevation 3932
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1418 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 195
Weather Observation Facility ID OLS
Elevation of weather observation facility 3932
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 14
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 6500
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 929
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 17 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1532
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:02AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6331P
NTSB Number LAX94FA193
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-180
Aircraft Serial Number 24-1175
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 7 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 92
Airframe Hours 4191
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT D. ADAMS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10808 N. 16TH AVE. #3
Aircraft Owner City PHOENIX
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85029
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT D. ADAMS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 10808 N. 16TH AVE. #3
Operator City PHOENIX
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85029
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1405
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DVT
Destination City PHOENIX
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 6020
Runway Width 90
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --