Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Ysidro, New Mexico 87053
Sunday, September 23, 1990 20:53 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A FLIGHT FROM CARLSBAD, CA, TO SANTA FE, NM. WHEN IT WAS ABOUT 30 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED WOODED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. IMPACT OCCURRED AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 9200 FT & ABOUT 200 FT BELOW THE CREST OF A RIDGE LINE. LIGHTS OF THE CITY OF SANTE FE SHOULD HAVE BEEN VISIBLE TO THE PILOT FROM OVER THE CREST LINE. IMPACT HEADING WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND. THE PILOT'S LAST APPLICATION FOR A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS DENIED ON 10/31/89, WHEN HE DID NOT PROVIDE ALL REQUIRED INFORMATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE DURING A NIGHT VFR FLIGHT. DARKNESS AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2053
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City SAN YSIDRO
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87053
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
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2047 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID SAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 6344
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1416
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 24 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47729
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6054X
NTSB Number FTW90FA186
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20A
Aircraft Series Identifier M20A
Aircraft Serial Number 1645
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 14 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 131
Airframe Hours 4015
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name W.B. POWERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 8355
Aircraft Owner City SANTA FE
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87504
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 No
Departure Airport Code CRQ
Departure City CARLSBAD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1635
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SAF
Destination City SANTA FE
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --