Moriarity Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Moriarity, New Mexico 87035
Wednesday, July 20, 1994 13:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DIVERTED EN ROUTE DUE TO THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA. DURING FINAL APPROACH, HE ENCOUNTERED GUSTING CONDITIONS AND THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED RIGHT OFF OF THE CENTER LINE. THE PILOT INITIATED A GO AROUND AT 150 FEET AGL; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE DEVELOPED A SINK RATE AND IT SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB DESPITE FULL POWER. WINDS WERE FROM THE LEFT FRONT QUARTER AT 7 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,200 FEET. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT ALL OF THE PISTON HEADS HAD EROSION AND ALL CYLINDERS HAD LOW COMPRESSION. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS INCIDENT TWO MONTHS PRIOR IN WHICH IT WAS SERVICED WITH 100LL THAT WAS CONTAMINATED WITH AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT OF JET-A.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE. FACTORS WERE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS, DOWNDRAFTS AND THE DEGRADED ENGINE PERFORMANCE DUE TO PERVIOUS DETONATION DAMAGE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MORIARITY
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87035
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MORIARITY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 0E0
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 6201
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 9200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1045
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 20 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1925
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:43AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N71RJ
NTSB Number FTW94LA240
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7680451
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection May 2 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 128
Airframe Hours 3467
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JONES, RICHARD J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5214 VIA VALLARTA
Aircraft Owner City SAN DIEGO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92124
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALLEN, JOHN R.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 577 ANDERSON ROAD
Operator City ALPINE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91901
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 TCC
Departure City TUCUMCARI
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code P14
Destination City HOLBROOK
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 26
Runway Length 7500
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --