Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Four Corners Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Farmington, New Mexico 87401
Thursday, October 23, 1997 16:30 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was on a cross-country flight after purchasing the aircraft the previous day. He said he had moderate experience in the aircraft, but lacked recent experience and had flown the aircraft 9 hours in the previous 90 days. The pilot said that during the takeoff roll, he put the yoke full forward, planning to return it to neutral when the tail lifted. He said that when the tail came up, he could not move the yoke aft to neutral, and the aircraft went nose down and nosed over. Examination of the aircraft following the accident revealed no discrepancies in the flight control system. According to the manufacturer, if the stabilizer trim is in the takeoff range, the aircraft is incapable of rotating to that degree of nose down attitude during the takeoff roll. Also, the manufacturer reported that if the trim is nose down, out of the takeoff range, the aircraft will nose down, and it is difficult to move the yoke aft. In addition, the manufacturer said the only other way to achieve this type of event is to use the brakes during the takeoff roll.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's improper preflight of the airplane, by failing to properly set the elevator trim for takeoff, and his improper use use of the elevator flight controls. A related factor was: the pilot's lack of recent experience in the make and model of airplane.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/23/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1630 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | FARMINGTON |
| Event State | NEW MEXICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 87401 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | FOUR CORNERS REGIONAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FMN |
| 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 | 5503 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1605 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FMN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5250 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 6000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 25 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 6000 |
| 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) | 1155 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 23 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2238 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:37PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N725 |
| NTSB Number | FTW98LA029 |
| 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 | 185C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 185C |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 185-0737 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3350 |
| 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 | Oct 1 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 13 |
| Airframe Hours | 8500 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | THOMAS E. QUIST |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 34357 MERCED LANE |
| Aircraft Owner City | BAKERSFIELD |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 93308 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | FMN |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1630 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | BFL |
| Destination City | BAKERSFIELD |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| 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 | 25 |
| Runway Length | 6702 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |