Angel Fire Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Angel Fire, New Mexico 87710
Monday, August 31, 1992 16:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE TAKEOFF WITH A COMPUTED DENSITY ALTITUDE OF 9,500 FEET THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT MAINTAIN THE PROPER CLIMB RATE AND WAS IN A DOWNDRAFT. DURING THE ABORTED TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT WHEN THE PILOT STALLED THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN THE INVERTED POSITION OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPORT IS LOCATED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND GUSTY WINDS PREVAILED IN THE AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE EVALUATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN EXCEEDING THE CLIMB CAPABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE INADVERTENT STALL WAS ALSO A CAUSE. FACTORS WERE THE DOWNDRAFT AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/31/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ANGEL FIRE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87710
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ANGEL FIRE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AXX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 350
Airport Elevation 8382
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1735 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 278
Weather Observation Facility ID SKX
Elevation of weather observation facility 7091
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 16
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9500
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) 2559
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 31 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47282
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N11080
NTSB Number FTW92LA221
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 CHAMPION
Aircraft Model 7ECA
Aircraft Series Identifier 7ECA
Aircraft Serial Number 162
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 27 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 3338
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HUDNALL, RICHARD M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 801 S. 22ND. ST.
Aircraft Owner City ARLINGTON
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22202
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ZUGEL, KENNETH R.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5606 AMAYA DRIVE #4
Operator City LA MESA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91942
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 AXX
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1625
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GUP
Destination City GALLUP
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 8900
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --