Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Clines Corners, New Mexico 87070
Tuesady, August 3, 1993 5:21 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT LEFT HIS HOME AT 0400 WITH THE INTENTION OF FLYING TO ARKANSAS, WITH AN EN ROUTE STOP AT AMARILLO, TX. RADAR DATA SHOWED A VFR TARGET IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT OF DEPARTURE AT 0505 AND AT AN ALTITUDE OF 9,500 FEET. THE TARGET WAS TRACKED TO THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WHEN, AT 0521 AND AT AN ALTITUDE OF 8,200 FEET, IT DISAPPEARED. A RANCHER FOUND THE WRECKAGE AT 0730. HE TOLD STATE POLICE OFFICIALS THAT AT THE TIME, IT WAS STILL DARK AND THERE WAS A HEAVY FOG AND A LIGHT MIST OR DRIZZLE FALLING. VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 1/4-MILE, AND THESE CONDITIONS HAD EXISTED FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE PILOT WAS INSTRUMENT RATED, BUT THERE IS NO RECORD OF HIS OBTAINING A WEATHER BRIEFING OR FILING A FLIGHT PLAN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A SAFE AND PROPER ALTITUDE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, DARK NIGHT CONDITION, AND WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT INCLUDED OBSCURATION, FOG, AND DRIZZLE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 521
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CLINES CORNERS
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87070
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
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 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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1083
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23459
NTSB Number DEN93FA097
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 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 17264089
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 Apr 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 3510
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TIPPY, MARSHALL W. & D.N.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 329 ROCK CREEK PKY AVE, N.E.
Aircraft Owner City ALBUQUERQUE
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87123
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 4AC
Departure City ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 505
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code UNK
Destination City AMARILLO
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 --