Taos Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Taos, New Mexico 87571
Friday, March 1, 1991 21:41 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEICED WITH PURE ETHYLENE GLYCOL AT ROOM TEMPERATURE AND THEN DEPARTED ON AN IFR FLIGHT IN FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW WITH A TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT OF 33/31. DEPARTURE INSTRUCTIONS WERE FOR A RIGHT TURN TO THE NORTH FOLLOWING TAKEOFF AND DIRECT TO THE VOR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND NINE HOURS AFTER DEPARTING, SCATTERED IN A FIELD, 1.5 MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO INITIATE FLIGHT INTO FREEZING RAIN WHICH RESULTED IN STRUCTURAL ICING THAT EXCEEDED THE ABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT. A FACTOR WAS: IMPROPER DEICING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/1/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2141
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TAOS
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87571
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TAOS MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SKX
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2156 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID SKX
Elevation of weather observation facility 7091
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 1312
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43909
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:31AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N761MU
NTSB Number DEN91FA048
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model T210M
Aircraft Series Identifier T210M
Aircraft Serial Number 210-62371
Certified Max Gross Weight 4016
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NEW MEXICO FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 4396
Aircraft Owner City ALBUQUERQUE
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NEW MEXICO FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 4396
Operator City ALBUQUERQUE
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code GNXA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2139
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ABQ
Destination City ALBUQUERQUE
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --