Avra Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Avra Valley, Arizona 85726
Thursday, August 28, 1997 21:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he had a total electrical failure while en route to his destination. He decided to land at an uncontrolled airport that had a lighted runway instead of his usual destination. The landing was made uneventfully, but during the taxi to the ramp area the pilot misjudged his position on the unlighted taxiway and ran off the taxiway into a large drainage ditch. The ditch was not marked, nor was it mentioned in the airport remarks in the Airport Facility Directory or in the NOTAMS. The ditch was estimated to have a depth of approximately 3-4 feet below the surface of the runway, with an estimated slope in excess of 35 degrees. A postaccident examination of the electrical system did not identify the problem other than it was noted that one cell of the battery only charged to 50 percent. Examination of the taxiway found skid marks just prior to the aircraft departing the paved surface of the taxiway. The pilot told investigators that he was unfamiliar with the layout of this airport.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot became lost/disoriented during his taxiing into the ramp area. Factors in the accident were the lack of taxiway lights, the pilot's lack of familiarity with the layout of the airport, and the airport operator's failure to either identify the drainage ditch in the airport/facility guide or to mark the ditch with signs.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/28/1997
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2130
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City AVRA VALLEY
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85726
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport AVRA VALLEY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID E14
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2031
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2056 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 308
Weather Observation Facility ID TUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2641
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 43
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1514
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 28 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1714
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2280R
NTSB Number LAX97LA312
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model T210J
Aircraft Series Identifier T210J
Aircraft Serial Number 210-0430
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 4 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 5412
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENNETH J. SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 13600 N. COMO DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City TUCSON
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85742
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 FHU
Departure City SIERRA VISTA
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 2100
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City LA CHOLLA
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 30
Runway Length 6901
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --