Angel Fire Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Angel Fire, New Mexico 87710
Sunday, June 25, 2000 19:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane took off and made two complete climbing circuits of the airport before proceeding south towards rising terrain. A lineman said he 'could tell they were having trouble gaining altitude,' and watched as the airplane disappeared behind trees south of town near a golf course. A witness said the airplane came over his house at low altitude, clipped trees, spun around, hit the roadway, and caught fire. The accident site was 4.2 miles south of the airport. The difference between the accident site elevation and the airport elevation is 353 feet. Density altitude was calculated at 11,197 feet msl. The airplane weighed an estimated 1,987 pounds.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper inflight decision to prematurely attempt a climb towards rising terrain before sufficient altitude had been attained that would assure adequate obstacle clearance. Factors were high density altitude and trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/25/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1900
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 2000
Event Date Month 6
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 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 8382
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 Day
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 272
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 25 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 8:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2526L
NTSB Number DEN00FA119
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172H
Aircraft Series Identifier 172H
Aircraft Serial Number 17255726
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 8 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3683
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL G. DODSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 13990 BUFFALO AIRPORT RD.
Aircraft Owner City AMARILLO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79118
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 AXX
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1850
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 1E7
Destination City AMARILLO
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 8:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 8900
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --