Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gallup, New Mexico 87301
Saturday, September 8, 1990 14:59 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF. IN ADDITION, THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN 25 POUNDS OF MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED CLIMBING TO ABOUT 100 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE, ENTERED A STEEP BANK, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 9,100 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLING HIS AIRCRAFT AT AN INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO EFFECT A RECOVERY. A FACTOR WAS HIGH DENSITY ATTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1459
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GALLUP
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87301
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CUP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 6468
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1459 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID GUP
Elevation of weather observation facility 6468
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 9100
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1678
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1540
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43172
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8631K
NTSB Number DEN90FA182
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name STINSON
Aircraft Model 108-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 108-1
Aircraft Serial Number 108-3381
Certified Max Gross Weight 2230
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 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 No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MCDONALD, RICK L.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 35095 ROAD #132
Operator City VISALIA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93277
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 1457
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code INW
Destination City WINSLOW
Destination State AZ
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 0
Runway Length 6298
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --