Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Seneca, Arizona 85705
Saturday, February 13, 1988 13:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE RECENTLY CERTIFIED PILOT AND HIS PAX DEPARTED FOR A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT. THE PILOT WAS AN AIR FORCE T-37 INSTRUCTOR PILOT BUT HAD JUST RECEIVED HIS SINGLE ENGINE LAND RATING ON 2/11/88. SEVERAL WITNESSES, INCLUDING A PILOT, REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDES IN RUGGED, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT OVERDUE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND IN A BOX CANYON. IT HAD CONTACTED A MESQUITE TREE AND TERRAIN AT A POINT WHERE A PILOT WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO REVERSE COURSE. THE EVIDENCE INDICATED THE ENGINE WAS DEVELOPING POWER AT IMPACT. NO SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND. THE PILOT HAD FLOWN ONLY JET AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. RESCUE PERSONNEL DESCRIBED VARIABLE, GUSTY WINDS IN THE AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/13/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SENECA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85705
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 2
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1247 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID FFZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1392
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 65
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2114
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 16 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1445
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38656
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N757NM
NTSB Number LAX88LA110
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15279873
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 26 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2704
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARGO INVESTMENTS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8001 E BROADWAY 1462
Aircraft Owner City MESA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85208
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HELISERVICES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4855 E. FLACON DRIVE
Operator City MESA
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85205
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 FFZ
Departure City MESA
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --