Seven Rivers Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carlsbad, New Mexico 88254
Friday, September 17, 1993 10:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF AND CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 150 FEET. AS THE PILOT RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR HE NOTICED A LIGHT COLORED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COWLING AND THE ENGINE BEGAN LOSING POWER. THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRPLANE BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT AND ALIGNED IT WITH THE RUNWAY. WHEN THE PILOT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR THE LEFT WING DROPPED AND THE PILOT COULD NOT RECOVER. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK POWER LINES AND IMPACTED THE GROUND OUT OF CONTROL. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED A DETERIORATED AND LEAKING O-RING IN THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN INADVERTENT STALL WHEN THE PILOT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR. A FACTOR WAS A LEAKING O-RING IN THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CARLSBAD
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88254
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SEVEN RIVERS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 62M
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 3360
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 955 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 137
Weather Observation Facility ID CNM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3293
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 4899
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 982
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 17 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N44680
NTSB Number FTW93LA261
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 CULVER
Aircraft Model V
Aircraft Series Identifier V
Aircraft Serial Number V71
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 5 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 921
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GROVES, ROBERT E. & R. KATHLYN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 212 S. 4TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City CARLSBAD
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 88220
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1010
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 22
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --