Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tsaile, Arizona 86556
Monday, April 24, 1995 9:55 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED PAGE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, PAGE, ARIZONA, APPROXIMATELY 0845 FOR ADDISON, TEXAS, WITH PLANNED FUEL STOPS AT SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO AND PLAINVIEW, TEXAS. A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED AND NO WEATHER BRIEFING RECEIVED. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED BY A NAVAJO SHEPHERD SEVEN NM EAST NORTHEAST OF TSAILE, ARIZONA ON THE WESTERN SLOPE OF THE CHUSKA MOUNTAINS NEAR THE SUMMIT AT AN ELEVATION OF APPROXIMATELY 9,000 FEET. IT WAS ESTABLISHED THAT AT THE ALTITUDE DESCRIBED, THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN THE DESIGNED PERFORMANCE LIMIT. AN ESTIMATE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 2,316 POUNDS. THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE IS 2,300 POUNDS. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL ANOMALIES. THE FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES WERE VERIFIED FOR THEIR CONTINUITY FROM THE CONTROL SURFACES THROUGH THE CABIN AREA. THE ENGINE, AFTER REPLACING DAMAGED PARTS, RAN NORMALLY. THE PILOT HAD NO KNOWN MOUNTAIN FLYING EXPERIENCE, AND HIS LAST KNOWN BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW WAS ON OCTOBER 1, 1991.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF MOUNTAIN FLYING EXPERIENCE AND THE RISING TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/24/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 955
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TSAILE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86556
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 56
Weather Observation Facility ID FMN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5503
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 49
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 1277
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 20 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2587Y
NTSB Number FTW95FA349
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172D
Aircraft Series Identifier 172D
Aircraft Serial Number 17259987
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 10 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 32
Airframe Hours 3619
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIRPORT OF HARBOR POINT, L.C.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6210 CAMPBELL ROAD, SUITE 140
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75248
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BOB WERRA
Operator Same as Owner? No
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PGA
Departure City PAGE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 845
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ADS
Destination City ADDISON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --