Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Magdalena, New Mexico 87825
Saturday, February 13, 1993 1:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM CALIFORNIA TO NEW MEXICO THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN AIRBORNE APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES AND WAS 35 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION WHEN THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. PRIOR TO DEPARTING CALIFORNIA THERE WAS 48 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD. A REVIEW OF THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD REACHED ITS ENDURANCE LIMITS AT THE TIME OF THE LOSS OF POWER. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED AND FUEL WAS ADDED PRIOR TO A PLANNED ENGINE RUN. THE ENGINE WAS RUN AND IT ACHIEVED NORMAL OPERATIONS THROUGH ALL RPM RANGES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL EXHAUSTION POWER LOSS DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL. FACTORS WERE THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AND THE DARK NIGHT

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/13/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 100
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MAGDALENA
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87825
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 86
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 13 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 956
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48356
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2187R
NTSB Number FTW93LA087
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-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-5480
Certified Max Gross Weight 2175
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 Feb 3 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2484
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KLUNGLE, ROBERT L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 97 SUMMERFIELD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ANNAPOLIS
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21403
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KLUNGLE, ROBERT L.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 97 SUMMERFIELD DRIVE
Operator City ANNAPOLIS
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 21403
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 CPM
Departure City COMPTON
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 723
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ONM
Destination City SOCORRO
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --