Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Capitan, New Mexico 88316
Monday, June 27, 1988 9:36 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT 0559 MDT, THE PLT WAS ADVISED OF A FORECAST FOR OCNL CEILINGS BELOW 1000 FT, VISIBILITIES AT OR LESS THAN 3 MI, RAIN SHOWERS, FOG & POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ALONG THE PROPOSED ROUTE. HE DID NOT FILE A FLT PLAN, BUT TOOK OFF AT 0844 WITHOUT OBTAINING AN UPDATED WX BRIEFING. A LINEMAN RPRTD THE ACFT WAS JUMP-STARTED DUE TO A 'DEAD' BATTERY. THE LINEMAN ALSO SAID THE PLT MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A BAD ALTERNATOR & THAT HE SEEMED DETERMINED TO GO ON THE FLT. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE AT THE DESTN, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE ACFT WAS FND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED ON RISING TERRAIN AT THE 9500 FT LEVEL OF CAPITAN MTN, WHICH PEAKED AT AN ELEV OF 10,230 FT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT WAS IN CRUISE FLT WHEN THE ACDNT OCCURRED. AUTHORITIES RPRTD THAT ON THE MORNING OF THE ACDNT, THERE WERE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA & THAT THE MTN TOPS WERE OBSCURED BY CLOUDS & FOG. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSEDNO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME, ENG OR FLT CONTROLS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/27/1988
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 936
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CAPITAN
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88316
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 Weather Observation Facility
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 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 Moderate
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1134
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 29 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1753
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37087
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:49AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N29318
NTSB Number DEN88FA141
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28RT-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28RT-20
Aircraft Serial Number 28R7931196
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Jan 14 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 103
Airframe Hours 1214
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MIDLAND BIG CHIEF SUPPLY INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1450 BRIERCROFT SAVINGS BLDG.
Aircraft Owner City MIDLAND
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79701
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MIDLAND BIG CHIEF SUPPLY, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1450 BRIERCROFT SAVINGS BLDG.
Operator City MIDLAND
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79701
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 SAF
Departure City SANTA FE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 844
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MAF
Destination City MIDLAND
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --