Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Show Low, Arizona 85901
Monday, November 26, 1990 13:38 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT AND HIS WIFE WERE ATTEMPTING TO FLY NON-STOP FROM ALBUQUERQUE, NM, TO RAMONA, CA. THEY DEPARTED ALBUQUERQUE AT 1035 AND ENCOUNTERED CLOUDS, STRONG HEADWINDS, AND ICING CONDITIONS. IN AN EFFORT AT AVOIDING THE CLOUDS, THE PILOT CLIMBED TO 14,000 FEET. STILL IN CLOUDS WITH A GROUND SPEED OF 72 KNOTS, THE PILOT DESCENDED TO 12,000 FEET AND ELECTED TO LAND SHORT OF HIS PLANNED DESTINATION. WHILE DIVERTING TO SHOW LOW, AZ, IN FREEZING RAIN/SNOW CONDITIONS, THE FUEL INJECTED ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND LOST POWER AT ABOUT 1327. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A WOODED AREA. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN. THE ELT ACTIVATED AND THE SERIOUSLY INJURED WIFE AS RESCUED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, DUE TO INDUCTION SYSTEM ICING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITION AND LACK OF A SUITABLE AREA FOR A FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/26/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1338
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SHOW LOW
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85901
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 11
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1248 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 34
Weather Observation Facility ID SOW
Elevation of weather observation facility 6411
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 800
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) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 37
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 47
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2274
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 26 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1350
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44622
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N31638
NTSB Number LAX91FA045
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-201
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-201
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7837240
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 May 4 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 64
Airframe Hours 1942
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN L. MOON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 17960 DOS PICOS PARK RD.
Aircraft Owner City RAMONA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92065
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 ABQ
Departure City ALBUQUEROUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1035
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code L39
Destination City RAMONA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --