Timberon Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Timberon, New Mexico 88350
Saturday, February 16, 1991 13:07 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE 70 HOUR PILOT TOOK OFF FROM THE 4900 FOOT RUNWAY UPHILL AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES ON RISING TERRAIN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR CLIMB AT A SUFFICIENT RATE TO MISS THE TREES. AFTER TREE IMPACT, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL TO TERRAIN IMPACT. LOCAL PILOTS REPORTED THAT TAKEOFF TO THE NORTH WAS NOT RECOMMENDED BECAUSE OF TREES JUST NORTH OF THE AIRPORT AND THE RISING TERRAIN. THE NEW MEXICO AERONAUTICAL CHART STATED 'POSSIBLE UNREPORTED HAZARDS. USER ASSUMES ALL RISKS.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY. RELATED FACTORS WERE: THE RISING TERRAIN, TREES, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/16/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1307
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TIMBERON
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88350
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TIMBERON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 52E
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 7700
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 7500
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1311
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43907
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 N49123
NTSB Number DEN91LA044
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15281152
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 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 Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEROY C. REYNOLDS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3217 GLASGOW
Aircraft Owner City EL PASO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79925
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LEROY C. REYNOLDS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 52E
Departure City TIMBERON
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1355
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ELP
Destination City EL PASO
Destination State TX
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 31
Runway Length 4900
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --