Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cimarron, New Mexico 87714
Sunday, June 26, 1988 17:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RCVD A WX BRIEFING BEFORE TAKEOFF, BUT DID NOT FILE A FLT PLAN. DRG THE FLT, THE ACFT (DOUGLAS A-26C, N4813E) CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ELEV OF ABOUT 11,200' NEAR BALDY MOUNTAIN. SCOUTING PERSONNEL, WHO WERE CAMPED IN THE VICINITY, RPRTD THE WX WAS POOR WITH A LOW CEILING, RESTRICTED VISIBILITY, RAIN & HAIL. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A STEEP, RIGHT WING LOW, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. MUCH OF THE WRECKAGE COLLAPSED INTO THE IMPACT CRATER. THE DEGREE OF DESTRUCTION WAS CONSISTENT WITH A HIGH SPEED IMPACT. CHORDWISE SCRATCH MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE PROP BLADES. SEVERAL TREE BRANCHES & LIMBS AT THE CRASH SITE HAD SMOOTH CUTS. THE PLT WAS TYPE RATED IN THE A-26, BUT HIS CERTIFICATE HAD A LIMITATION THAT RESTRICTED HIM TO FLYING IT IN 'VFR ONLY.' NEITHER THE PLT NOR THE RATED PASSENGER HELD AN INSTRUMENT RATING. THE RATED PASSENGER DID NOT HAVE A TYPE RATING IN THE A-26, BUT THE PLT POSSESSED A WAIVER TO FLY N4813E AS A SINGLE PLT AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CIMARRON
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87714
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 6
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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) 1155
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 27 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37248
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4813E
NTSB Number DEN88FA138
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 DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model A-26C
Aircraft Series Identifier A-26C
Aircraft Serial Number 29243
Certified Max Gross Weight 32000
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DR. ED COUNSELMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1408 SOUTH TOPEKA
Aircraft Owner City TOPEKA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66612
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COUNSELMAN, GUY E.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 18440 N. 7TH STREET
Operator City PHOENIX
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85022
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 GLD
Departure City GOODLAND
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PHX
Destination City PHOENIX
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --